By Trendsetter Tribune 
Pakistan is finalizing a $1.5 billion arms sale to Sudan, potentially derailing Russia’s plans for a Port Sudan base and altering the balance in the long-running Sudanese civil conflict.
In a striking shift of influence on the African continent, Pakistan is reportedly finalizing a $1.5 billion weapons agreement with Sudan, signaling a growing erosion of Moscow’s once-dominant role in the region. The deal, which could include light attack aircraft, hundreds of reconnaissance and kamikaze drones, and advanced air defense systems, comes as Sudan’s Armed Forces continue to battle the Russian-backed Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in a conflict stretching over two and a half years.
Analysts warn the arrangement could deal a serious blow to Russia’s long-standing ambitions in Sudan, including its controversial plans to establish a naval base in Port Sudan—Russia’s first military foothold in Africa since the Soviet era. With the civil war stalling Moscow’s objectives, the influx of Pakistani weaponry may reduce Khartoum’s reliance on Russian military support.
“This isn’t just about battlefield advantage; it could remove the need for Sudan to host a Russian base entirely,” said analysts from Defense Express. “Pakistani arms could diminish Moscow’s strategic leverage while empowering Sudan’s government to regain air superiority.”
The package under discussion reportedly includes 10 Karakoram-8 light attack aircraft, more than 200 drones, and air defense systems, with the potential addition of JF-17 fighter jets and Super Mushshak trainers—Pakistan’s rising defense exports, increasingly promoted on the global stage. Saudi financial backing may make the deal feasible, Reuters reports.
For observers outside the region, the development highlights how new players are stepping into power vacuums once dominated by Russia, and how traditional great-power influence is being challenged by emerging defense exporters. Analysts say the move could reshape both the ongoing Sudanese civil war and the broader strategic map of Northeast Africa, signaling that Moscow may no longer command the leverage it once wielded with impunity.