A Big Punch: Snapshot of The Potential Pakistan - Russian Relationship

A listfull of recent Pak-Russia relationship elements:

Pakistan has signed a milestone defense pact with Russian federation which may entail the following. 

* Acquisition of Mi-35 Hind-E assault helicopters for SSG's Special Operations Task Force.

* Joint Counter-terrorism training of Special Ops units

* Joint Air Force training

* Pakistan will participate in Russian tank warfare competition

* Russia will be allowed to have regular port calls and docking at Pakistani ports

* Russia has elevated Pakistan from category D to B for arms sales.

* Smooth supply of RD-93 turbofan engines and its upgraded MA variants for JF-17 Thunder aircrafts.

* Pakistan has just established an upgrade and overhaul facility for its Mi-17 helis, which Russians will help with.

* Both states have agreed to work together in Afghanistan to make sure another civil war doesn't take place

* On economic side, Russia is interested in building a gas pipeline from Nawabshah city of Sindh to Gwadar in Balochistan which will be connected with Iran when the sanctions on Iran are lifted.

* Russia is also interested in rebuilding Pakistan's steel mills, helping with Railways and in building the Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India gas pipeline.

* Russia will also invest in Pakistan's oil and gas exploration sector which is seeing increased activity.

* Increase in bilateral trade which currently stands at just $542 million.

Source: Pakistan Defence.

Land acquisition for submarine base in Cox’s Bazar starts

The two Ming-class submarines are expected to strengthen the navy’s ability to protect maritime resources and territorial waters, the New Age newspaper quoted unidentified officials as saying.

 

Type 035 G Chinese Ming Class Submarines

“The state-to-state deal would cost Bangladesh $203.3mn to procure the two Ming-class submarines,” the report said.

Officials from the navy or military’s media arm were not immediately available for comment but the report came four months after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced the government’s plans to procure submarines.

In August, Hasina told a navy ceremony that, despite economic constraints, her government is committed to building a modern and balanced three-dimensional naval force for safeguarding interests in the high seas and littoral regions.

Chinese Ming Class Submarines

According to earlier reports, the Type 035G diesel-electric submarines were scheduled to be delivered in 2019. The navy decided to make payments to the Chinese state-owned firm that makes the submarines from the current fiscal to 2017-18.

The navy said 17 officials had been trained to operate submarines and it had acquired land on Kutubdia Island in southwestern Cox’s Bazaar to set up a submarine base.

“We need to have a robust maritime presence as a strategic nation,” Maj Gen (retired) A N M Muniruzzaman, a defence analyst, told a news agency.

The Indian Ocean has become the “most strategic maritime theatre” with India, China and the US being the key actors, particularly after America’s maritime policy began focusing on the region, he said.

The submarine deal will be the second major defence agreement this year. Bangladesh earlier finalised a $1bn deal with Russia to procure Mi-17 helicopters, combat trainer aircraft, armoured personnel carriers, anti-tank missiles and pontoon bridges.

Analysts have said this deal appeared to be a diplomatic shift as Russia was not a traditional source of weapons. The Bangladeshi military is more familiar with weapons from China and the US, they said.