Draft deal finalised for purchasing Chinese J-10CE fighter jets: PM’s Adviser

A draft deal has been finalised for advancing negotiations on purchasing Chinese J-10CE fighter jets for the Bangladesh Air Force, said Prime Minister’s Adviser Zahed-ur-Rahman at a briefing at the Secretariat on Tuesday.

The proposed deal also includes purchases of attack helicopters and different other models of multi-role combat aircrafts (MRCA), Zahed told reporters at the meeting.

Works are also ongoing for the purchase of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and VIP helicopters for the Air Force, he added.

If the required funds are allotted, the purchases would begin this fiscal year, otherwise, they would begin in the next fiscal year starting 1 July 2027, the adviser said.

Zahed also highlighted the effectiveness of the J-10CE, noting its successful downing of Indian 4.5 generation Rafales by the Pakistan Air Force in May last year.