Procurement: Pakistani Arms Exports

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January 1, 2015: Although Pakistan is the third largest importer of weapons in the world, it also exports weapons. These weapons exports only amount to about $20 million a year compared to over a billion dollars a year in imports. The reason is that the only weapons Pakistan can sell is low tech. The only high tech stuff Pakistan makes are nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles to carry them. Exporting nukes and missiles runs into potential legal problems and, although some of the missiles have apparently been exported, Pakistan will not say anything about it. Pakistan insists no nukes have been sold, although it admits that the head of their initial nuclear weapons program did sell many bomb building secrets as a side project.

The legal exports consist of pretty simple gear like assault rifles, pistols, RPG launchers, machine-guns and ammo for all these. Pakistan also exports smaller rockets, grenades, artillery and tank gun ammo along with numerous items of military equipment and services. Pakistan is also trying to break into the tank (with a locally built T-72 variant) and jet fighter (with a Chinese co-production of a Chinese design) markets. Getting into the tank and fighter market is very difficult because of the intense competition already present.