Sri Lanka says no fighter jets deal with Pakistan

[SpArK]

Deal is a secret deal.?

Checked the mainstream newspapers of Island. Not a single article in morning newspapers since 2 days.

Why So?

 

[Kal Muah]

Jan 06, Colombo: The Sri Lankan government has denied reports that it has signed an agreement with Pakistan to purchase eight JF-17 Thunder aircraft despite Indian pressure.

"The matter did not even come up for discussion during the talks [with the Pakistani government]," Karunasena Hettiarachchi, Defense Secretary, told The Hindu, adding that his government was still considering the purchase of fighter jets.

Foreign media reports said Pakistan and Sri Lanka have signed an agreement under which the former would sale eight JF-17 Thunder aircraft to the latter in the initial stage despite Indian pressure and the agreement is part of several memorandum of understanding (MoUs) inked Tuesday between Pakistan and Sri Lanka during Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif�s three-day visit to the island.

Terming the reports as "incorrect," Mahishini Colonne, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that "if there arises a requirement for Sri Lanka to procure aircraft of this nature, in keeping with the policy of the Government of Sri Lanka to maintain transparency, expressions of interest will be called for, from all concerned."

According to the reports, Sri Lanka has been under pressure from the Indian government not to go ahead.

Earlier press reports quoting a Sri Lankan Air Force official said the SLAF is unlikely to buy the Pakistan-made and Chinese-designed JF-17 multi-role fighter even if Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif pushes for it during his visit to Colombo between January 4 and 6.

In October last year state-owned English weekly Sunday Observer reported that India has offered Sri Lanka its brand new, home-made 'Tejas' Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) to counter an offer from Pakistan to sell its JF-17 fighters.

Sri Lanka : Sri Lanka says no fighter jets deal with Pakistan

Is this paper legit?

 

[Ind4Ever]

Oh boy

 

[shah1398]

Wow. Everyone here is celebrating at the news like anything now but till yesterday It was like "well what do we have to do with Thunders for SLAF, Its none of our business etc etc"....

On Topic: As the initial source was Geo News and Hamid Mir so i had raised doubts on the news of purchase at very first place and had waited for some official confirmation. But the news did come out on Sri Lankan papers too. I would still wait for authentic source to tell us if the deal was materialized or not.

 

[ganesh623]

Lanka Denies Deal To Buy Pakistan Made JF-17 Fighters

COLOMBO: The Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) on Wednesday denied an Indian news agency’s report that Lanka had entered into a deal with Pakistan to buy the Sino-Pak JF-17 third generation fighter aircraft.

The report had said that the deal was sealed during talks the visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had with Lankan leaders here on Tuesday.

Refuting the story, the Command Media Officer of the Lankan Air Force, Group Captain Chandima Alwis, told Express: “ There has been a lot of speculation in the media on this. But the fact is that we are still in the process of evaluating the various offers made by neighboring countries. We are looking for a suitable aircraft. But no decision has been taken yet.”

Significantly, purchase of JF-17s by Lanka is not one of the eight agreements which Sharif signed in Colombo.

The latest wave of speculation about a deal over JF-17 was triggered by a report in IHS Jane’s 360 dated December 29, which said that Sharif will press for the purchase of the aircraft during his visit to Lanka between January 4 and 6.

But a seasoned Lankan defense analyst had told Express that though Lanka is keen on replacing its ageing Israeli Kfirs and Russian MiG 27s, it is unlikely to go in for the JF-17s, for two reasons: First, there is India’s opposition. And Second, there is the cost factor, with the fighters going at USD 35 million apiece.

Official Indian sources denied any knowledge of Lanka’s intention to purchase the JF-17s from Pakistan or even India’s counter offer to provide its Light Combat Aircraft “Tejas’.

The Lankans are probably aware that the “Tejas” is still under development. While the JF-17 is a fully developed aircraft in operation with the PAF since 2010, Tejas is still correcting the flaws discovered by the Indian Air Force.

While Pakistan has to sell the JF-17s to justify the existence of a production facility on its soil, and may even offer buyer’s credit, the Lankan defense expert quoted above wondered if Lanka will be able to afford the aircraft given the fact that it is in the doldrums financially with huge international debts to repay.

Additionally, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s priority seems to be to give his island nation a Blue Water navy to safeguard it more effectively, and also to play a meaningful role in international maritime security as desired by the US.

It is also said that, given the current delicate relations between India and Pakistan and Nawaz Sharif’s eagerness to mollify India after the Pathankot terror attack, Pakistan is unlikely to rub India the wrong way by pressing Lanka to buy its JF-17s.

Lanka Denies Deal To Buy Pakistan Made JF-17 Fighters -The New Indian Express

 

[Gen Padmanabhan]

Deal is a secret deal.?

Checked the mainstream newspapers of Island. Not a single article in morning newspapers since 2 days.

Why So?

Because SL Pakistan & Illuminati preparing to surround us with JF-17.

 

[Skull and Bones]

What happened to Zimbabwe's negotiation for JF-17 Thunder? Which block they were interested in?

 

[SpArK]

Because SL Pakistan & Illuminati preparing to surround us with JF-17.

You mean what that "Jam" boy said.

Just laugh off his comments.... not even worth of entertainment value.

And dont worry, i have telephoned Ranil Wickremesinghe... what he said is also classified.

 

[shah1398]

Weren't your country men saying Indians have eggs on their faces and what not? Look at that thread how we were abused. Truth hurts, isn't it!

Sir its a two way process everywhere. Ppl were hurling such remarks then from Pakistani side and here we are Indian members replying in the same very manner.Tali hamesha dono hatho say bajti hai. I myself am in a state where i never did believe if the deal was ever materialized mainly bcz of my suspicion on source of news as i said it earlier. So am still waiting.

 

[Manidabest]

we need a third party source no indian or Pakistani source ....Nigeria is confirmed from a third party

 

[ganesh623]

we need a third party source no indian or Pakistani source ....Nigeria is confirmed from a third party

Its not a indian source.
Its sri lankan.

 

[PakSword]

Good news for India.
And great news for Sri Lanka.

India should now continue to provide 400 million Rupee aid to Sri Lanka.

 

[Windjammer]

Its not a indian source.
Its sri lankan.

Lanka Denies Deal To Buy Pakistan Made JF-17 Fighters -The New Indian Express

Going blind are we through excitement, I have spoken to someone in Sri Lankan MOD, so i know the score but that's fine you Indians need something to cheer you up or as they say small things amuse little minds.

 

[PakSword]

One of my sources has told that Sri Lankans are very upset on the news provided by Pakistani Media team. Even PA is unhappy. Such a irresponsible behavior.

No wonder this Hamid Mir guy is considered a traitor.

Lanka Denies Deal To Buy Pakistan Made JF-17 Fighters -The New Indian Express

Going blind are we through excitement, I have spoken to someone in Sri Lankan MOD, so i know the score but that's fine you Indians need something to cheer you up or as they say small things amuse little minds.

Sir. Enough and rightly said. I think we should close this topic of JF-17 sales to SL for the time being (at least for a couple of years).

 

[Tridibans]

Lanka Denies Deal To Buy Pakistan Made JF-17 Fighters -The New Indian Express

Going blind are we through excitement, I have spoken to someone in Sri Lankan MOD, so i know the score but that's fine you Indians need something to cheer you up or as they say small things amuse little minds.

I concur. Indian media is lowest of the low. Indians are liar.

But sir, please update us about the Egyptian order, and the Myanmar ones too....

And when we are at it, did your sources tell you when the Malaysians are getting their batch of JF-17s?