The recent India-Pakistan military stand-off appears to have given China an advantage when it comes to weapons sales.
Indonesia is planning to procure the Chinese 4.5-generation single-engine, multi-role fighter jet Chengdu J-10. The combat aircraft had gained significant international attention after it was reported that Pakistan used it during the military conflict with India. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV had claimed that the combat aircraft “achieved combat results for the first time … hitting multiple jets and not suffering any losses” after the India-Pakistan military stand-off.
Indonesia, which has already procured 42 French Rafale jets worth $8.1 billion, is in talks with China which also offered the country not just J-10, but also ships, arms, and frigates, say media reports.
The country's Deputy Defence Minister and retired Air Marshal Donny Ermawan Taufanto was quoted as saying "We are evaluating J-10."
ALSO READ: India's BrahMos stunned Pakistan. Will global demand for the combat-proven missiles now soar?
According to Reuters, Taufanto said Indonesia would factor in reports that a Pakistani J-10 plane shot multiple Indian jets in the recent conflict.
Indonesian Air Force Chief of Staff, Air Chief Marshal M. Tonny Harjono was in China recently. Taufanto said “The rumor started when our Air Force Chief visited China and attended an Air Show there. He saw the J-10 on display and was offered the aircraft."
According to Indonesia Business Post, the J-10 offer is only in the preliminary stages and the country is yet to send a technical team to conduct a feasibility study. “It’s still a rumour, really. We haven't sent a team nor entered a detailed evaluation phase yet,” the defence minister has been quoted as saying.
“In terms of its capabilities, how far it can fly, the types of weapons it could carry, we will have to see later,” he further said.
