Bangladesh is moving closer to formal negotiations with China over the possible purchase of J-10CE fighter jets and attack helicopters, as a government panel prepares a draft agreement for the proposed defence deal.
Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Zahed Ur Rahman said on Tuesday that preparations for the negotiations were progressing, although the size and value of any eventual agreement had yet to be determined.
The proposed acquisition could become one of Bangladesh’s largest defence purchases in recent years and would further strengthen military ties with China, already the country’s biggest supplier of defence equipment.
Bangladesh is seeking to modernise its air force, with local media reporting that Dhaka is considering acquiring up to 24 J-10CE fighters. Rahman, however, did not confirm the number of aircraft, their cost or a possible delivery schedule, saying these issues would be settled during negotiations.
The Chinese-made J-10CE attracted increased international attention following the May 2025 India-Pakistan clashes, when Pakistan said the aircraft had been used to shoot down Indian fighter jets. Claims surrounding the aerial engagements have remained disputed.
Rahman said Bangladesh had taken note of the J-10CE’s reported performance during the conflict in its neighbourhood.
Pakistan is currently the only confirmed foreign operator of the J-10CE, the export version of China’s J-10 fighter.
China has supplied Bangladesh with a wide range of military equipment over the past two decades, including combat aircraft, naval vessels, tanks and missile systems, establishing Beijing as Dhaka’s largest source of defence hardware.