Pakistan

France to stop selling heavy military equipment to Pakistan: Report

France makes decision in order to ease Indian concerns and hopes to extend success with Indian armed forces contracts.

Express May 28, 2011

France has decided to stop selling heavy military equipment to Pakistan in an attempt ease Indian concerns and extend their success with contracts from India’s armed forces, reported Indian newspaper The Economic Times.

Defence Minister of France, Gerard Longuet, who is on a two day visit to India said his country did not want to be seen “feeding Pakistan’s military ambitions”.

He said that France had decided to discourage any requests for heavy equipment from Pakistan, mainly naval equipment.

India has recently shortlisted French Dassault’s Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon for a $12 billion dollar fighter jet deal, cutting out US giants Boeing and Lockheed. One of the most valuable and sought-after military contracts of recent years, the deal for 126 fighters has witnessed fierce competition between defence majors like Boeing and Lockheed Martin, Sweden’s Saab AB and the Russian makers of the MiG 35.

COMMENTS (31)

Hasan | 13 years ago | Reply @Maria: Maria have you ever had the opportunity to visit France? If you had you would know that it is a very wealthy country (and also a very beautiful country too). The electricity is always at the flick of the switch; the clean drinking water flows from the tap; the public transport system is first class; the social welfare system provides financial support to the needy; there are no fire-arms displayed in the streets; no armed guards; traffic flows smoothly through the streets; the sky is clean and the capital city, Paris, is called the city of love and is considered one of the most beautiful in the world ........... Do you get the picture? France has no need to ever trade with Pakistan and Pakistan will never be in a position to ever inflict economic hardship on France. We may try to kid ourselves as to our international standing however, the truth is that Pakistan is viewed by the West (and also many Eastern countries) as a terrorist haven that is ruled by corrupt and incompetent leaders (both civil and military). Pakistan must realize that the world will soon turn its back on us and only then will we appreciate the level of financial support that we have received for many years from the international community.

Cherish Raj | 13 years ago | Reply @Chebbo: You like only Chinese and North Korean stuff because there is no one else who will deal with you.Sour grapes! Please check your facts before uploading nonsense. F16s were first tested in 1974 and introduced in 1978. Rafale was first tested in 1989 and introduced in 2001- a full 23 years later.

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ImnIndian | 13 years ago | Reply @Maria - it's this revenge mentality that has brought doomsday on pak !!!

Javed Ali | 13 years ago | Reply @Umayr Masud: Yeah sure cheaper, but do you know or ever heard anything about the qualityof Chinese production. Oh you live in pakistan so you dont know, well ask anyone outside pakistan about it and you will know how durable and reliable this is. Let me tell you one joke: One man get married to Chinese woman but she dies after 1 year. The saddened man gets consoled from friend like, "come on friend she survived one year isnt that more than enough, after all what else you expect from Chinese mall." So be happy with Chinese fighter jets...

Chebbo | 13 years ago | Reply France has stopped seeling heavy military arms to Pakistan because many of its previous politicians including Jacques Chirac (president) were involved in military equipment kickbacks on 'Agostino' sale. Secondly, they do it to please India but what happens if Pakistan gets those heavy arms from any other world heavy-arm suppliers. Thirdly, we don't like French arms they do not deliver. What's the use of any junk technology? Rafael aircrafts were first tested in 1989 by the French, They could not compete with F-16 fighters.

narayana murthy | 13 years ago | Reply Asad Khan says "Yes, Col. Prohit was One of them too.Hahaha..." I have no idea what you are laughing at. You see, Purohith, never attacked American or French interests. By writing irrelevant things, you make your fellow intelligent Pakistanis look bad.

Amir | 13 years ago | Reply @saleem khan: May Allah give you wisdom and eyes to understand what you are wishing for. This money can never be pass on to poors before it will be distrubuted in parliment. Those who wish to downgrade our military budget MUST think what they are wishing for. They wish the same as our enemy. So which side you are on ?

Moise | 13 years ago | Reply French subs not as good as German subs.

Who cares | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan gets isolated from the most diverse set of countries: Kuwait, Afghanistan, France, U.S, U.K, Iran Interesting isn't it?

Chotta Chetan | 13 years ago | Reply Does anyone remeber a terrorist attack on french engineers which killed 11 of them? It was a RAW/CIA/MOSSAD conspiracy and its working now

Cherish Raj | 13 years ago | Reply Good for the Chinese. Now they can sell their 'do number maal' more easily to Pakistan. And Pakistan will buy them telling their people that these toys are the cheapest at the same time the most 'sophisticated'. As the society has been completely turned into a bunch of conspiracy theorists, the act of convincing will be a cake walk for the ISI.

Smarty | 13 years ago | Reply This is just a business tactic by France to clinch the 11 billion deal from India. Eurofighter Typhoon(second only to F22) is way better than French Raffale. India won't fall for it, don't worry.

Asad Khan | 13 years ago | Reply @indian: Yes, Col. Prohit was One of them too.Hahaha..

Malik | 13 years ago | Reply pakistan is buying nothing special from France .. and India knows it better .. Just to make their public happy ::p

pl/sql | 13 years ago | Reply @Umayr Masud: Cheap and also faulty! LOL!

Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Very good for Pakistan.In next couple of years we will be home producing most of these HIGHTEC eqipment.the only imp thing for pak is to fix its economy.We should not spend too much on defense b4 we get our factories back in production.And pakistan now should only go to china defence eqip.Stop this non sense WOT.They should reverse eng block 52 asap and use know-how into domestic jets.Stop taking aid and get off ur back side and earn ue living..thats the only way..and very imp say bye bye to US.

Bangash | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan and France have very long-standing ties. After winning the contract, the French will resume sales to Pakistan.

indian | 13 years ago | Reply If France has decided not to sell military equipments to Pak, it has nothing to do with india. But it may be France's lack of trust in Pak. France has probably learnt a lesson from America which helped Pak so much but ultimately it got terrorist attacks which were funded and groomed by people sitting across Pak.

Pakistani | 13 years ago | Reply I'm sure an alternate will present itself

Javed | 13 years ago | Reply @saleem khan: "that is a good step. at least this money may now go to the poor." Sorry to put a damper. We will garbage from China

KM | 13 years ago | Reply @Umayr Masud: Cheaper & "Lethal" ... Good luck India!

Maria | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistanis should remember this step by France. When the nation sorts things out and moves ahead with progress and business, we should return the same sentiment to the French.

Usman | 13 years ago | Reply Haha...France won't support pakistan's military machine but will support the Indian Military Machine. Moral of the story. No one cares about the poor. Move along.

ImnIndian | 13 years ago | Reply it's high time pak understands india's strategic depth in the international community !!!

Bambayya | 13 years ago | Reply They have already got 50 JF fighters from China ... when they need hard cash for there economy... and to have there daily bread and butter ...what a good friend in need ...lol ... did not know ...Pakistanis can substitute food for planes ...

Cautious | 13 years ago | Reply If Pakistan made peace with it's neighbor issues like this would be mute --- of course your 500,000 man army may find it difficult to justify an enormous budget.

Umayr Masud | 13 years ago | Reply Instead of french mirages , we'd buy the new stealth heli's and fighters china is making .. and im sure they'd be cheaper .. lol

Ammar | 13 years ago | Reply That's what you will get support from International allies. Stop helping them otherwise they will impart you such gifts.

Atheist, India | 13 years ago | Reply This is money talking and I am so proud of it.

Chotta Chetan | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan does not need Frances help. What can frane produce anyway other than wine and cheese

saleem khan | 13 years ago | Reply that is a good step. at least this money may now go to the poor.

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