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Pakistani Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan has said that Islamabad was in direct talks with Moscow for the procurement of sophisticated military hardware, including air defence systems, fighter jets, and battle tanks.
In an interview with Russia's Sputnik news agency, Khan also talked about increased cooperation with Kremlin, which mirrors Pakistan's wider geo-strategic concerns.
The Defence Minister also outlined that Islamabad was interested in acquiring T-90 tanks from Moscow as part of a long-term deal, rather than committing itself to a single purchase.
According to an The Indian Express report, India also uses the same T-90 tanks, and is looking to equip the tanks with an additional ‘third generation missile system’, in order to increase its strike capability.
Talking about security issues in South and Central Asia, the Defence Minister noted that both Pakistan and Russia were interested in a stable and democratic Afghanistan.
Historically, Pakistan and Russia have been on the opposite side of the conflict in Afghanistan, but the former Cold War foes have now developed a mutual understanding on many international issues, according to Khan.
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