Indian commentator Abhijit Iyer has said that even Pakistan’s JF-17 Block 1 single-engine light fighter jets are more advanced than Indian-made Tejas MK 1A fighter jets.

 

During a live session on YouTube, Iyer was asked by a viewer to comment on the capabilities of the Tejas MK 1A versus JF 17 Block 3. In response, Mitra said, “Even the JF-17 Block 1 is better than the Tejas MK Block 3.”

 

“Babus cannot manufacture planes,” he said, adding that they could not even “make the industry profitable”.

 

He went on to say that Pakistan had full knowledge about the Indian Air Force (IAF).

 

“I know the guy who is in charge of integration in Pakistan […] they taught me more about the Indian Air Force than any IAF person taught me about the IAF,” Iyer said and added that it spoke to the level of knowledge that Pakistanis have.

 

He also slammed India for not being cognizant of its air force shortcomings. “They [Pakistani] know their weaknesses… we don’t know our weaknesses. We live in a delusion.”

 

Commenting on the JF-17 Block 3 fighter jet, a joint production between Pakistan and China, he said it was a “fantastic plane”.

 

The statements come amid reports that India is yet to make a deal with foreign countries about the export of its Tejas fighter jets while a $4.2 billion deal for the acquisition of JF-17 Thunder Block III aircraft was recently signed between Azerbaijan and Pakistan.

 

According to reports, Azerbaijan is expanding its initial purchase of JF-17 Thunder Block III fighter jets, increasing the number from 16 to a striking 40 units. In February 2024, Baku signed a $1.6 billion contract to acquire 16 JF-17 advanced multirole aircraft, which were reportedly delivered in September of the same year.

 

Reports said that the deal marked a significant enhancement of Azerbaijan’s aerial capabilities and deepened its defence cooperation with Pakistan. The latest agreement positions Pakistan among Azerbaijan’s top military suppliers, alongside Turkey, Russia, and Israel.