First Munir, now air chief Zaheer Abbas, Pakistan 'desperate' to crack defence deal with US after Operation Sindoor?

After Pakistan witnessed some high-tech and extremely effective air defence systems of India take down several missiles fired by Pakistani army in retaliation of Operation Sindoor, Islamabad seems to have become 'desperate' in boosting defence cooperation with the US. Pakistan's Chief of the Air Staff Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu paid an official visit to the US in order to strengthen ties with Washington.

The visit, first by a Pakistan Air Force chief in over a decade, comes almost immediately after Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir's visit to the US last month and his meeting with President Donald Trump.

Sidhu during his visit held top-level meetings at the Pentagon, State Department and Capitol Hill.

He also met General David Allvin, Chief of Staff of the US Air Force in a bid to enhance defence cooperation, interoperability, and tech-based military exchanges.

“This high-level visit is a strategic milestone in the Pak-US defence partnership. The visit will play a significant role in addressing key regional and global security issues as well as building institutional ties,” the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) said in a statement on Wednesday.

"This high-level visit is a strategic milestone in the Pak-US defence partnership. The visit will play a significant role in addressing key regional and global security issues as well as building institutional ties,” the PAF added.

Pakistan trying to reinvigorate stalled ties with US

This visit is being seen by analysts as an attempt to reinvigorate the US-Pakistan relations that have stalled in the past decade. Once a strong ally and supplier of defence equipment to Pakistan, the United States shifted its focus towards India as it emerged as a powerful opposition to China and a central pillar of America's Indo-Pacific strategy. While Pakistan slowly drifted away towards China for its defence and economic requirements.

However, Pakistan seems to have realised the need to improve ties with the US again after Operation Sindoor carried out by India in retaliation of the Pahalgam attack in which 26 innocent people were gunned down by terrorists having links to Pakistan.

Pakistan eyeing jets, missiles from US?

Islamabad is trying to modernise its air force and is reportedly looking to strike a deal with the US for its advanced military platforms, including F-16 Block 70 fighter jets, and air defence system.

It is also looking to acquire additional AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missiles, and even batteries of the US-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), reported India Today.