Bangladesh has confirmed plans to purchase 20 Chinese J-10CE fighter jets in a deal worth approximately $2.2 billion, marking a significant victory for China's defense export industry over Western competitors including the French Rafale. According to government documents reviewed by The Business Standard, the procurement represents Bangladesh's largest air power investment since independence and is expected to be completed by 2027.
The deal emerged following Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus's four-day official visit to China in March 2025, during which the potential purchase was discussed. China responded positively to the proposal, and the agreement is set to proceed under a government-to-government framework during the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 fiscal years, with payments spread over ten years until 2035-2036.
The $2.2 billion package allocates roughly $60 million per aircraft, totaling $1.2 billion for the 20 jets alone. The remaining $820 million covers training, logistics, support equipment, spare parts, transport, insurance, and infrastructure development. This pricing makes the J-10CE significantly more affordable than Western alternatives, with unit costs roughly half those of a Dassault Rafale.
The competition for Bangladesh's fighter jet contract had previously narrowed to the Eurofighter Typhoon and Dassault Rafale, with French President Emmanuel Macron visiting Dhaka in 2023 in a diplomatic push for the French aircraft. However, political upheaval that forced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to flee the country disrupted European efforts to secure the deal. The new government under Yunus subsequently pivoted toward the Chinese option.
The J-10CE selection comes amid claims that the aircraft performed successfully against Indian Air Force Rafales during the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict, though these reports remain unverified by independent sources. Bangladesh becomes the second South Asian nation after Pakistan to operate the J-10C, nicknamed the Vigorous Dragon, significantly reshaping the regional balance of air power and demonstrating China's growing influence in the global defense market.