SUDAN SIGNS $230 MILLION WEAPONS DEAL WITH PAKISTAN AFTER SUSPENSION OF EARLIER AGREEMENT.
BY NJOKI KARANJA
Port Sudan, October 13, 2025.
The Port Sudan-based Defense Industries System has finalized a new $230 million weapons deal with Pakistan, following the suspension of a previous agreement to purchase fighter jets and military equipment. The signing took place during an official visit to Islamabad by a high-level Sudanese delegation seeking to renegotiate the terms of military cooperation after political and technical setbacks derailed the earlier deal dated August 24, 2025.
According to Pakistan’s The Current newspaper, the Sudanese delegation was led by General Mirghani Idris, Director of the Defense Industries System, who remains under U.S. and European sanctions. The team also included Lt. Gen. Magdi Ibrahim, Deputy Chief of Staff; Lt. Gen. Mohamed Ali Sabeer, Head of Military Intelligence; Brig. Mutasim Abdullah Elhaj, Deputy Director of the Defense Industries System for Product and Service Development; and Col. Eng. Abdelaleem Altayeb Alawad, CEO of Safat Aviation Group.
The Sudanese officials met with Mr. Muhammad Raza Hayat Hiraj, Pakistan’s Federal Minister of Defence Production, to finalize discussions and sign the new agreement, which replaces the suspended deal.
Sources indicate that the earlier contract was amended after China refused to export HQ-9 and HQ-16 air defense systems to Sudan, citing its policy against supplying arms to countries involved in active conflicts or under international sanctions. The inability to obtain engines and navigation systems for MiG-21 aircraft from third-party countries also forced the Sudanese side to restructure the deal and opt for available alternatives.
Under the new contract, Pakistan will supply Sudan with:
30 K-8 trainer/attack aircraft,
40 Shahpar-2 drones,
200 MR-10 drones, and
230 ASV Mohafiz-IV armored vehicles.
Delivery will be divided between Port Sudan, which will receive the aircraft and armored vehicles, and Wadi Sayidna Air Base, which will receive the drones, according to the logistics plan agreed upon by both sides.
Analysts say the deal reflects the two nations’ capacity to adapt to international restrictions and maintain defense cooperation amid sanctions and supply chain challenges. However, the agreement has also sparked questions over its regional and security implications, given the sanctioned status of Sudan’s defense leadership and the ongoing civil conflict in the country.
Defense experts warn that maintaining, operating, and training personnel for the new fleet will require substantial technical support to ensure operational readiness — a factor likely to attract international scrutiny in the coming months.
