Pakistan’s delegation, included Secretary Defence Lt General (R) Zamir ul Hassan Shah, officially visited Ukraine in order to attend the second meeting of the joint commission on military and defense production fields.
Secretary Defence has also visited the SE “Malyshev Plant” in Kharkiv where he familiarization with the production of modern Ukrainian armored vehicles. He mentioned that Pakistan values its relations with Ukraine and believes that the relationship will strengthen with the passage of time.
Some sources reported that Ukraine is on the verge of signing a deal to provide Pakistan with new and upgraded main battle tanks.
In April, “Delovaya Stolitsa” interviewed Pakistan’s Ambassador to Ukraine Maj. Gen (retired) Athar Abbas, who told Delovaya Stolitsa that Pakistan could be interested in 100 Oplot-P (export version for Pakistan) main battle tanks.
At the end of the May, “Podrobnosti” reported of the SE “Malyshev Plant” completing an Oplot-P main battle tank destined for Pakistan, but for testing as part of a tender. Pakistan had tested the Oplot-M in 2015 as well.
Early, the Pakistani government has signed an agreement with Ukraine for the supply of 200 engines to equip the Al Khalid-Improved main battle tank (MBT), according to Pakistani defence officials.
According to Ukrainian media reports, Ukraine and Pakistan also have started implementing a bilateral agreement for the upgrade of the Pakistan Army’s T-80UD Main Battle Tank (MBT)
Ukraine’s Interfax news agency reveals that representatives of Ukraine’s largest state-run defense contractor have met with Pakistan defense industry officials at this year’s International Defense Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi in late February and concluded a number of agreements.
According to two signed contracts, Ukraine is slated to supply 88 tank sights and kick off a pilot project for the overhaul of an initial batch of five Pakistan Army T-80UD MBTs, which, depending on Islamabad’s satisfaction with the upgrade work on the first five tanks, will extend to the army’s entire inventory of around 300 T-80UD MBTs.
