Bangladesh is accelerating plans to procure the J-10CE multirole fighter jet, the export variant of China's 4.5-generation J-10C fighter aircraft that was reportedly deployed by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor against India.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, during his ongoing visit to China, is expected to advance talks on procuring up to 24 of these fighter jets. If the deal goes through, Bangladesh will be the second country to procure the fighter jet after Pakistan.
"We hope to sign the fighter jet purchase agreement by August this year," Bangladeshi newspaper Daily Waadaa quoted a government official as saying.
Each J-10CE aircraft, also known as the "Vigorous Dragon", is reportedly valued at around $40 million.
The 4.5-generation multirole fighter, the Chengdu J-10C, was developed by the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) under the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and has been in service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) since 2018.
The J-10C can reach speeds of up to Mach 2.0 and is capable of carrying out both air-superiority and precision-strike missions. With a combat radius exceeding 1,000 km, the fighter offers significant operational flexibility to the Bangladesh Armed Forces.
During the Bangladeshi prime minister's visit to China, the two countries are expected to sign as many as 17 agreements, including 15 MoUs, even as the two sides upgrade their relationship from a strategic partnership to a "community with a shared future", according to media reports.
China is a very close friend, strategic partner, and a crucial commercial and development ally for Bangladesh, the country's foreign secretary recently said.
