New Delhi: Days after India sealed the S-400 defence deal with Russia, China announces 48 high-end armed drones to Pakistan.

China’s official media reported that the high-end drones ‘Wing Loong II’ will be jointly manufactured by China and Pakistan, however, the cost of the defence deal was not revealed.

Chinese media carried a military observer’s quote who said it to be the largest deal of its kind.

The air force academy aerobatics team announced that in the future, the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex Kamra and the Aviation Industry Corporation of China's Chengdu Aircraft Industrial (Group) Company will jointly manufacture the drones, the report said.

What is ‘Wing Loong II’?

Wing Loong II is a high-end reconnaissance, strike and multi-role endurance unmanned aerial system, capable of being fitted with air-to-surface weapons.

It is roughly equivalent to the American MQ-9 Reaper drone.

Wing Loong II drone made its maiden flight in February last year, an earlier report by the state-run Xinhua news agency said. Within 10 months of its maiden flight, multiple live firing tests had been conducted in accordance with the requirement of its customers, including stationary targets, moving targets, time sensitive targets and air-ground coordination, the report said.

Cost of Wing Loong II:

Though the cost of the China-Pakistan defence deal has not been revealed, it was reported that China sold to countries like the UAE and Egypt the Wing Loong II at an estimated USD 1 million per unit.

China, an "all-weather ally" of Islamabad, is the largest supplier of weapon system to the Pakistan Army. Both the countries also jointly manufacture JF-Thunder a single engine multi-role combat aircraft.

A report in December last year said Wing Loong II has already obtained the largest order of Chinese UAVs in the overseas market, even before its maiden flight. But the report did not specify the buyer.

India to get 22 Guardian drones from US

The Trump administration has agreed to sell 22 Sea Guardian drones to India. The country is reported to have received 10 advanced Heron drones from Israel as well.

(With inputs from PTI)