The Bangladeshi government has formally announced that a draft agreement to purchase Chinese J-10CE multirole fighter jets has been finalized. Prime Minister’s Strategic Adviser Dr. Jahed Ur Rahman made the announcement at a Tuesday weekly briefing for journalists at the Secretariat. He said Bangladesh was now making an independent decision on the matter, describing such a move as unimaginable before August 5, 2024.

Ur Rahman cited the aircraft’s reported performance in the recent short India-Pakistan conflict, saying the J-10 received broad praise after Pakistan used the Chinese-made fighter and an Indian French-made Rafale was brought down. He said Bangladesh was giving serious consideration to the advanced aircraft based on its demonstrated performance in real combat conditions.

The report said discussions on buying fighter aircraft took place during former caretaker government chief adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus’s visit to China, followed by expert-level talks between the two countries. Diplomatic sources said India has reservations about the proposed purchase, while a diplomatic source in Dhaka said the United States had no concern over it.