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Bangladesh confirms Chinese J-10CE jet deal, citing Rafale kill in India-Pakistan clash

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Albee Zhangin ShanghaiPublished: 5:00pm, 28 Aug 2026Bangladesh has for the first time confirmed a long-expected deal to purchase China’s 4.5-generation J-10CE fighters, pointing to the jet’s combat performance against Rafale fighters in last year’s India-Pakistan conflict.

One military expert said it was a sign that the global perception of Chinese weapons was shifting and the market would gradually open.

Zahed Ur Rahman, information and broadcasting adviser to the prime minister of Bangladesh, told journalists on Tuesday that a draft proposal to buy the Chinese J-10CE had been submitted to the Ministry of Finance and Armed Forces Division for final approval, according to the website of the Press Information Department (PID) of Bangladesh on Wednesday.

The draft proposal also includes the purchase of Chinese attack helicopters, VIP transport helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems, according to the PID, the government’s official news distribution wing.

“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 said. Bangladesh’s current budget year runs from July of this year to June of next year.

Rahman told reporters that Bangladesh had “paid attention” to the conflict between Pakistan and India in May of last year, when Pakistan reportedly used J-10CE fighters equipped with active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars and PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles to shoot down Indian Rafale fighters.

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