In another setback for Pakistan, Myanmar's military junta has delivered a strong rebuke to Islamabad for selling "defective" multi-role fighter aircraft.

As reported, Pakistan had entered into an agreement to manufacture JF-17 fighter jets for Myanmar, with the deal being signed in 2016 for at least 11 multi-role fighter aircraft.

Subsequently, Pakistan supplied combat planes to Naypyidaw between 2019 and 2021. However, the junta declared all these jets "unsuitable for operational use" and grounded the entire fleet. The report alleges that these jets were produced by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in partnership with China's Chengdu Aircraft Industries Corporation.

Shortly after the delivery of these aircraft, the Burmese Air Force was compelled to ground them due to malfunctions and structural deficiencies. The JF-17's failure appears to have exacerbated tensions between Islamabad and Naypyidaw and may have prompted China to intervene.

According to reports, a recent visit by Myanmar's Chinese envoy to Naypyidaw is believed to have conveyed a message from the top leadership of the Chinese Communist Party to Gen Min Aung Hlaing.

Pakistan is reportedly making efforts to renegotiate the deal with Myanmar, offering upgraded versions of the JF-17s. These new variants are likely to be developed by the same partnership of Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China's Chengdu Aircraft Industries Corporation.

However, there is limited information available regarding whether the military junta has accepted the renegotiated deal. Informed sources suggest that the junta is deeply frustrated as the non-operational status of these aircraft has disrupted its plans to strengthen its airpower for targeted strikes against Myanmar's resistance groups operating under the banner of the People's Defence Force (PDF), the armed wing of the National Unity Government (NUG).

Following the news of the JF-17s' malfunctioning crisis, Pakistan's efforts to sell similar aircraft to other countries, particularly in Latin America, have faced setbacks. In light of this, the military junta has declined further discussions on procuring aircraft from Pakistan, and other nations have also been reluctant to engage with Pakistan. Notably, even China has not included a single JF-17 in its inventory to date.