Bangladesh has confirmed a deal to purchase China’s 4.5-generation J-10CE fighter jets, citing the aircraft’s reported combat performance against French-made Rafale jets during the brief Pakistan-India conflict last year, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.

The Chengdu J-10C is a single-engine, multirole combat aircraft manufactured in China. Boasting a top speed of Mach 1.8, it can be fitted with a variety of air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions. It played a key role on the first night of hostilities, shooting down six jets belonging to the Indian Air Force.

The Information and Broadcasting Adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Zahedur Rahman said earlier this week that a draft proposal to buy the jets had been submitted to the country’s finance ministry and Armed Forces Division for final approval, SCMP reported, citing the Bangladesh Press Information Department (PID).

According to the PID, the draft proposal includes the purchase of Chinese attack helicopters, VIP transport helicopters and drones. “Subject to necessary budgetary allocation in the current fiscal year, this procurement will be executed immediately; otherwise, it will roll over into the next budget cycle,” it added.

The SCMP reported that Rahman said Bangladesh “paid attention” to the war last year, when Pakistan used J-10 fighters and PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles to shoot down Indian Rafales.

In January this year, Pakistan and Bangladesh’s air chiefs held detailed discussions on the “potential procurement” of the locally-produced JF-17 Thunder aircraft, according to Inter-Services Public Relations.

It added that Bangladesh’s air chief Air Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan called on his Pakistan counter part Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu in Islamabad. “The meeting focused on strengthening operational cooperation and institutional synergy, with emphasis on training, capacity building, and collaboration in aerospace advancements,” the ISPR added.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2026