Bangladesh to buy China's J-10CE jets, PM's aide gives Op Sindoor, Rafale example

Bangladesh is nearing a $2-billion deal for 20 Chinese J-10CE fighter jets. While sharing the development, Bangladesh Prime Minister's aide Zahed Ur Rahman claimed that the performance of the Chinese aircraft used by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor had helped make the decision.The government of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman (inset) is all set to buy Chinese J-10CE fighter jets. (Image: Associated Press and Getty)Bangladesh is moving closer to buying 20 Chinese J-10CE multirole fighter jets for $2.3 billion, in what could become one of Dhaka's biggest defence purchases in years. An aide of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said that the claimed performance of the J-10 aircraft during May 2025 Operation Sindoor helped tilt the decision in the favour of the Chinese planes.The government of Tarique Rahman is looking to modernise Bangladesh's air force. The proposed package would put the effective cost at nearly $115 million per aircraft, far above the fighter's base price of $62.7 million. The additional expenditure includes training, operational equipment, technical and logistical support, freight, insurance, VAT and construction work. The Armed Forces Division of Bangladesh has estimated the total cost at Taka (Tk) 28,314 crore, using an exchange rate of Tk123 to the dollar, Dhaka-based The Business Standard newspaper reported.The development was confirmed by Bangladesh PM's Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman, who said on August 25 that an inter-ministerial committee had prepared a draft agreement for negotiations on the purchase.It was his reference to Operation Sindoor and the France-made Rafale's that drew particular attention. Zahed Ur Rahman said Bangladesh was seriously considering the J-10 because, "It is now established that an Indian Rafale fighter jet was shot down by a Chinese-made J-10 fighter aircraft during the India-Pakistan war." He added that the "Rafale is regarded as a modern 4.5-generation fighter" and claimed the "J-10CE had performed very well against it".Pakistan had claimed that its Chinese-made J-10s shot down Indian aircraft, including Rafales, during the May 2025 conflict. India has rejected Pakistan's account. Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier called the claim that three Indian Rafales had been shot down inaccurate. Indian officials have also disputed Pakistan's version of events. In August 2025, Indian Air Force chief, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh said Indian forces had downed at least five Pakistani fighter jets and one large military aircraft during Operation Sindoor.The Indian Air Force (IAF) floated a tender in June this year seeking bridge support for all 36 Rafale fighter jets India bought from France. This too contradicts Pakistan's claims.WHY BANGLADESH WANTS THE CHINESE J-10CEThe J-10CE is the export version of China's J-10C, a single-engine, single-seat multirole fighter operated by the People's Liberation Army Air Force. Pakistan is currently the only confirmed foreign operator of the export variant, making Bangladesh's proposed purchase potentially significant for China's fighter-jet export ambitions.For Dhaka, the purchase is part of a broader effort to upgrade its ageing air force and strengthen national air defence. Bangladesh currently operates a large number of Chinese-origin aircraft, including F-7 fighter jets, and China remains its biggest defence supplier.The procurement process began under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus in 2025. The initial estimate was around $60 million per aircraft, with Bangladesh's Ministry of Finance later giving in-principle approval to a $2.2-billion proposal for 20 jets. The latest proposal has raised the aircraft price to $62.7 million each, while the overall package has climbed to $2.302 billion.Of the 20 aircraft, 10 are proposed to be incorporated into Bangladesh's Table of Organisation and Equipment, while the remaining 10 would remain outside it. The jets are expected to be procured from China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC) through government-to-government negotiations, according to news agency Reuters report. The agreement could be signed during Bangladesh's 2026–27 financial year, with payments spread over 10 years through 2035–36.IS THIS A HINT AT THE BIGGER SHIFT IN CHINA-BANGLADESH RELATIONS?The proposed J-10CE purchase comes against the backdrop of increasingly visible Chinese engagement with Bangladesh. The fighter-jet proposal was discussed during Yunus's visit to China in March 2025, and an 11-member inter-ministerial committee was subsequently formed to negotiate the deal.The move has a wider regional significance for India. Bangladesh and India share a long border and deep historical ties, but Dhaka's relations with New Delhi have entered a more complicated phase following the political upheaval that removed Sheikh Hasina from power.PM Tarique Rahman made his first overseas visit to Malaysia before travelling to China in June. After attending the Summer Davos Forum in the coastal city of Dalian, he travelled to Beijing by high-speed train. However, his proposed visit to India remains uncertain, with no dates confirmed yet.On its part, China has sought to deepen its strategic and economic footprint in Bangladesh.For Dhaka, the J-10CE is being presented primarily as a modernisation choice. But the decision is also unfolding amid a broader contest for influence in India's neighbourhood and the false Rafale claims from Operation Sindoor have given the Chinese fighter an additional political and military narrative in Bangladesh.- EndsPublished By: Avinash KateelPublished On: Aug 28, 2026 07:00 IST