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India facing a two-front air challenge? Bangladesh eyes same Chinese fighter jets used by Pakistan in Operation Sindoor
Bangladesh's reported J-10CE deal may not shift the military balance with India immediately. But it could strengthen China’s footprint on India’s eastern border.MONEYCONTROL WORLD DESK
JUNE 24, 2026 / 15:59 IST
The J-10CE is the export version of China’s Chengdu J-10C Chengdu J-10C, a 4.5-generation multirole fighter designed for air superiority and precision strike missions.
Bangladesh’s reported move to acquire 24 Chinese Chengdu J-10 J-10CE fighter jets is far more than a routine military procurement. If the deal materialises, it will mark one of Dhaka’s most consequential defence decisions in recent years and deepen Chinese military influence in South Asia at a time of rising regional tensions.
According to Dhaka-based publication Daily Waadaa, the Tarique Rahman-led administration is expected to advance the proposal during the prime minister’s visit to China, with officials indicating that a formal agreement could be signed by August. The proposed package, reportedly worth $2.2 billion, includes not just aircraft but also training, maintenance, logistics and long-term sustainment support.
The message is difficult to miss. Bangladesh is not merely buying fighter jets. It is buying deeper strategic dependence on Beijing.
What makes the J-10CE important?
The J-10CE is the export version of China’s Chengdu J-10C Chengdu J-10C, a 4.5-generation multirole fighter designed for air superiority and precision strike missions.
Powered by the WS-10B afterburning turbofan engine, the aircraft can reach speeds close to Mach 1.8. Its delta-wing and canard design gives it strong manoeuvrability in aerial combat, while digital fly-by-wire controls improve handling in high-stress engagements.
The jet can carry around 5,600 kilograms of weapons across 11 hardpoints, including air-to-air missiles, bombs and precision-guided munitions.
Its most significant advantage lies in its electronics. The fighter comes equipped with an AESA radar, allowing it to detect and track multiple targets simultaneously while resisting jamming. It can also fire the long-range PL-15 missile, one of China’s most potent beyond-visual-range air-to-air weapons.
For a relatively small air force like the Bangladesh Air Force Bangladesh Air Force, this platform would be a major capability jump.
Why Bangladesh wants these jets
Bangladesh’s interest in the aircraft is closely tied to its Forces Goal 2030 military modernisation programme.
The Bangladesh Air Force currently operates a limited and ageing fleet, largely composed of approximately 36 obsolete F-7/J-7 fighters and eight MiG-29s of Russian origin. Many of these platforms are nearing the end of their operational utility.
The J-10CE offers Dhaka a relatively affordable pathway to modernisation. Officials cited by Daily Waadaa estimate each aircraft could cost around $40 million, significantly cheaper than Western platforms such as the Dassault Rafale Rafale or F-16 Fighting Falcon F-16, whose prices can exceed $100 million depending on configuration.
But affordability comes with strategic strings attached.
Bangladesh’s growing dependence on China
The deeper concern is not the aircraft itself but what comes after delivery.
Modern fighter jets are not one-time purchases. They require decades of spare parts, software updates, weapons integration, technical servicing and operational support. All of this remains under Beijing’s control.
That means Bangladesh would become even more dependent on China for core defence readiness.
China is already Dhaka’s dominant arms supplier, providing submarines, frigates, armoured vehicles and other military hardware. The J-10CE deal would tighten that dependency further, giving Beijing long-term leverage over Bangladesh’s military planning and operational ecosystem.
For India, that changes the strategic equation in the east.
What it means for India
From a purely military standpoint, Bangladesh’s acquisition is unlikely to significantly alter the air-power balance against India.
The Indian Air Force Indian Air Force’s Eastern Air Command, headquartered in Shillong, maintains roughly four fighter squadrons across Assam and West Bengal. These include Sukhoi Su-30MKI Su-30MKIs and Rafales, giving India an estimated 60 to 70 modern combat aircraft in the eastern sector.
This means India still retains a decisive numerical and technological edge through superior command networks, layered air defence and better operational integration.
However, the geopolitical implications are harder to ignore.
If Bangladesh inducts the J-10CE, India could face the same Chinese fighter platform on both eastern and western fronts.
Pakistan factor raises bigger concerns
The Pakistan angle makes the development more sensitive.
Pakistan already operates 20 J-10CE fighters, with more on order. These jets were deployed during Operation Sindoor, where they were used to challenge Indian platforms including the Su-30MKI, Jaguar and Rafale.
If Bangladesh also inducts the same aircraft, India could face growing interoperability between the Pakistan Air Force Pakistan Air Force and Bangladesh’s military.
That possibility raises questions about intelligence sharing, tactical coordination and Chinese influence across both borders.
For New Delhi, the concern is not that Dhaka can militarily match India. It cannot.
The real concern is that Bangladesh, by leaning further into China’s military ecosystem, risks becoming another node in Beijing’s expanding regional security architecture.
In trying to modernise its air force, Dhaka may be inviting something far larger into its strategic space: long-term Chinese leverage.
And when viewed alongside Pakistan’s growing dependence on Chinese weapons, the pattern becomes clearer. Both Islamabad and Dhaka may be upgrading military hardware, but they are also surrendering increasing strategic autonomy to Beijing. For India, that emerging two-front Chinese footprint will matter far more than the 24 aircraft themselves.
