News Story: Analysts Welcome Russian Decision on Arms Sales To Pakistan

Russian Air Force Mi-35М (Wiki Info - Image: Wiki Commons)

By USMAN ANSARI

ISLAMABAD — Analysts have welcomed Russia’s decision to loosen its longstanding restrictive arms supply policy toward Pakistan and sell helicopter gunships, but are unsure what the final results will be.

Further details of the negotiations are unknown.

A spokesperson for the Defense Ministry here would not comment on specific details of what was being discussed with their Russian counterparts, saying only that deliberations were underway.

The issue of cost, “not only of acquisition but of operation, maintenance and eventual upgrade” is a strong plus when considering Russian arms, says former Australian defense attache to Islamabad Brian Cloughley.

“Both India and Pakistan have found, to their distaste, that although US defense products are very good, they are inordinately expensive and very costly to run. It makes sense to go for reasonably priced equipment that is not over-complex and doesn’t take a fortune to acquire and operate”, he said.

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