Pakistan has shifted arms procurement from Russia to U.S. allies, seeking leverage over Washington.
New Delhi: In what is seen as a move to reduce hostility between the two countries and counter India’s growing closeness to the United States, Pakistan military commanders have instructed one of their main arms intermediaries to start purchasing arms and ammunition from the United States and its allies, moving away from their traditional supplier, Russia.
It is pertinent to mention that the last arms-related transaction between Washington and Islamabad, according to the SIPRI database, took place in 2020 when Pakistan ordered gas turbines, which were delivered in 2023. Prior to that, Pakistan had received second-hand offensive weapons, such as a patrol naval vessel, in 2017.
The Tabani group, one of Pakistan’s oldest business conglomerates, often seen as an arm of GHQ, Rawalpindi, has for decades served as an intermediary between Moscow and Islamabad in arms imports. Now, however, it is aligning itself with U.S. entities and companies that are playing a substantial role in supporting Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict with Russia.
This prominent shift from a long-standing partnership with Russian military suppliers to exploring new alliances with countries would not have occurred without orders from GHQ.
This step should be viewed as Islamabad pivoting toward Washington from Moscow in the field of weapons cooperation. In the future, it is expected that Pakistan’s military reliance on Moscow will significantly decrease, with the Tabani Group working with U.S. companies to acquire more American weapons and systems, replacing Russian military goods.
Apart from granting Islamabad access to U.S weapons, this new business development will also provide Islamabad with some leverage over Washington, particularly on issues related to New Delhi and Kabul. Islamabad is likely to seek a ‘favourable’ stance from in exchange for agreeing to purchase arms from U.S. defence companies, which hold considerable influence over U.S. senators and Congressmen.
Recently, the Tabani Group helped Pakistan acquire an intelligence system for its aircraft from Omnipol, a Czech defence company. Omnipol had acquired a 49% stake in Aero Vodochody, a Czech-based defence company known for manufacturing military aircraft, in June 2020. In April 2022, Omnipol also acquired aerospace firm Aircraft Industries from its Russian owners, who run the mining entity UGMK (Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company). The owners were forced to sell the company after Russia was subjected to European Union sanctions.
The Czech Republic is among the countries taking the lead in helping Ukraine against Russia. Last year, it announced the launch of “Initiative 2025,” which involved five Czech arms companies producing artillery shells with the support