Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman gives final approval for 20 Chinese J-10CE fighter jets
Dhaka approves BDT 26,500 crore financing package, with state guarantees and staggered repayments, as Beijing prepares to supply aircraft, weapons and training.
by
Enayet Kabir
November 7, 2026
Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has given final policy and financial approval for the purchase of 20 Chinese-made J-10CE fighter aircraft under a government-to-government (G2G) arrangement with China.
The approval was confirmed at a meeting on November 4, 2026, between Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and an 11-member Chinese Communist Party delegation led by Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC), which was visiting Bangladesh. The meeting also included a briefing on progress in the development of Mongla Port by the Chinese company CCCC.
The meeting was held on the morning of November 4 at the Cabinet Division office in the Prime Minister’s Secretariat.
Those present included Liu Haixing, Minister of the IDCPC; Peng Xiubin, Director General of its Bureau for Southeast and South Asian Affairs; Hu Zhaoming, Director General of the Bureau of Public Information and Communication; Li Jinyan, a Deputy Director General-level official of the Bureau for Southeast and South Asian Affairs; Wang Siqi, Division Director of the same bureau; Shi Meiqi, a Division Director-level official of the Bureau of Foreign Affairs Coordination and English interpreter; Liu Chengxiao, Deputy Division Director of the General Office; Chen Xuanbo and Chen Yongpei, Deputy Division Directors of the Bureau for Southeast and South Asian Affairs; Zhang Guyu, an attaché of the same bureau; and Liu Yuyin, China’s Acting Ambassador in Dhaka.
The Bangladesh Air Force is preparing to reach a new milestone in protecting the country’s airspace and strengthening its military capabilities.
The initiative to induct 20 Chinese-made fourth-and-a-half-generation J-10CE multirole combat aircraft (MRCA) into the BAF fleet was originally taken by the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus following the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict, in which the J-10C was reported to have challenged French-made Rafale fighters.
At the November 4 meeting, it was conveyed that Bangladesh’s Finance Ministry had approved the financing arrangement after Prime Minister Tarique Rahman agreed to provide a state guarantee for repayment of approximately Tk 26,500 crore, equivalent to US$2.1316 billion, including interest. Subject to completion of the procurement process, the aircraft could arrive in Bangladesh in 2027.
According to sources, the aircraft are being purchased through a G2G arrangement from China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC), a Chinese state-owned enterprise. An advance payment of 20 per cent will be made to the company. The principal cost of the aircraft is estimated at approximately US$1.96 billion, while interest will amount to US$170 million. The first instalment will be US$391.9 million.
Under the terms of the agreement,
Bangladesh will receive a two-year grace period, after which the outstanding amount will be paid in six unequal annual instalments. Sources maintain that this staggered payment arrangement will allow the armed forces to modernise without imposing an immediate, substantial burden on national revenues.
Bangladesh Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman has publicly emphasised the need for multirole combat aircraft and has urged the government to acquire them, citing regional military-strategic considerations.
The fighter jets are expected to join the BAF fleet by 2027. The package will reportedly include not only aircraft but also logistics, pilot and crew training, long-term maintenance and advanced weaponry supplied by China. This is likely to deepen the military dependence between the two countries over the long term.
Sources said the BAF Headquarters had obtained the Defence Minister’s approval—an authority exercised by the Prime Minister—for the purchase of the aircraft from the Chinese government during the 2026–27 financial year under the G2G arrangement.
The J-10CE is equipped with a powerful active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar capable of tracking multiple targets simultaneously and resisting enemy electronic jamming. It can also fire China’s long-range PL-15 beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, which could pose a significant challenge to modern Western and Russian aircraft in aerial combat.
Advanced data links and airborne early-warning systems enable network-centric coordination in combat operations. The purchase and maintenance costs of the J-10CE are also considerably lower than those of comparable European aircraft such as the Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon.
Speaking at a recent press conference about the proposed purchase, Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed-ur-Rahman said a committee had prepared a draft agreement for negotiations on acquiring the Chinese-made J-10CE.
“The Rafale is considered one of the most advanced fourth-and-a-half-generation fighter aircraft. The J-10CE performed very well against it in the battlefield. Bangladesh is therefore seriously considering this aircraft,” he said.
The J-10CE is a modern, single-engine, single-seat multirole combat aircraft and the export version of China’s J-10C fighter, which is operated by the Chinese Air Force. Global interest in the aircraft, particularly in Bangladesh, increased substantially after the reported performance of Pakistan Air Force J-10C fighters during the brief India-Pakistan air conflict in May 2025, known as Operation Sindoor.
Following the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024, the interim administration led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus accelerated discussions on acquiring the fighter aircraft. The BNP-led government formed after the February 2026 elections has continued the defence policy pursued by its predecessor.
The proposed acquisition is part of the Bangladesh Air Force’s long-term Forces Goal 2030 programme. Military sources believe that modern fighter aircraft have become essential to replace the ageing F-7s and the limited number of MiG-29s currently in the BAF inventory, strengthen airspace sovereignty and improve maritime security.
Sources also disclosed that the Air Force had held preliminary oral discussions with the Finance Minister about the purchase even before negotiations with China began.
A summary submitted to the Finance Minister seeking approval for the state guarantee stated that 80 per cent of the total cost of the 20 J-10CE multirole combat aircraft would be paid later in six unequal annual instalments.
The arrangement was essentially a purchase on credit. Consequently, the unpaid portion of the aircraft’s total price would constitute a direct government payment liability.
The Finance Ministry’s position, as outlined in the summary, was that a government guarantee was not ordinarily required for such direct payment liabilities. However, given the sensitive nature of the present case and a special request from the seller, the government could consider providing a guarantee covering the total value of the purchase as an exceptional measure.
The ministry also stipulated that such an exception must not be repeated under any circumstances. In future, before entering into negotiations with any country or institution on similarly important and sensitive matters, the relevant authorities must hold comprehensive discussions with the Finance Division on the financing arrangements before proceeding to the next stage.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has given final policy and financial approval for the purchase of 20 Chinese-made J-10CE fighter
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