Pakistan edges closer to self-reliance with proposed Anka-3 deal, promising full tech transfer and homegrown drone production to reshape regional security
By Asghar Ali Mubarak
ISLAMABAD: Turkey offered Pakistan its latest Anka-3 stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle in a deal that could include the establishment of a domestic production line if Islamabad committed to buying at least 100 units, according to senior officials familiar with the ongoing negotiations.
The proposal, confirmed by highly placed defence sources, was described as one of the most significant advances in Pakistan–Turkey military cooperation in recent years. If finalised, it would grant Pakistan full technology transfer and a local assembly facility, marking a major shift towards indigenous capability in a region where advanced drones were increasingly shaping security doctrines.
The possibility of such a deal reportedly caused unease in New Delhi, where defence analysts criticized Narendra Modi’s government for what they saw as a diplomatic setback that strengthened Pakistan’s hand in the region. Turkey’s defence exports had surged by nearly 30% that year, reaching an estimated $7.5bn, part of Ankara’s wider strategy to expand its footprint in global arms markets.
The Anka-3’s key specifications included a range of more than 2,500km with up to 30 hours of continuous flight. Its internal weapons bays could carry precision munitions such as the Tolun bomb, and it was compatible with AI-driven swarm systems and “manned–unmanned teaming” for joint missions with crewed aircraft. The estimated price ranged from $10m to $15m per unit, with costs likely to fall if Pakistan opted for domestic production.
For Islamabad, the offer represented far more than a procurement opportunity. A production facility would boost defence self-reliance, create high-skilled jobs, and embed advanced aerospace technologies within Pakistan’s local industry. Turkey already supplied Pakistan with Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci drones, which had strengthened military ties between the two countries. Officials said the Anka-3 proposal marked a substantial escalation in the scale and ambition of joint defence cooperation.
Talks, which began in October 2025, were reported to have progressed substantially in recent weeks. Turkish officials reportedly indicated their readiness to build an assembly plant in Pakistan for the long-range, radar-evading drone, manufactured by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). The Anka-3, designed around a flying-wing structure, was built for deep-strike missions, surveillance operations, and electronic warfare, and was promoted by Ankara as a next-generation platform capable of evading hostile detection.
