China’s J-10C Fighter Jets End India’s South Asia Hegemony For Good

Recently, a rumor circulating on social media has devastated Indian media—reports said that the Bangladeshi Air Force is planning to procure China’s J-10C fighter jets. This not only signals Bangladesh leaning further toward China but also means the Indian Air Force could face unprecedented triple-directional pressure from J-10Cs.

According to ‘India.com,’ Bangladesh’s reported plan to procure China’s J-10C fighter jets following Pakistan is causing significant concern for India.

The report mentioned that a recently circulating online rumor poses significant challenges for the Indian Air Force. Bangladesh Air Force Chief Hasan Mahmood Khan emphasized the necessity of upgrading fighter jets. In a media interview, he stated, “We’ve devotedly trying to acquire multirole combat aircrafts and attack helicopters.” The report suggested that Bangladesh is likely to purchase J-10C multirole fighter jets to bolster its aerial fleet, with an initial procurement of approximately 16 units.

As a main product of China’s advanced fighter jet exports, the J-10C is renowned for its powerful air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities. It is equipped with advanced avionics, an active phased array radar system, and the ability to carry a variety of long-range air-to-air missiles and precision-guided air-to-ground weapons. The report stated that by purchasing the J-10C fighter jets, the Bangladesh Air Force would significantly upgrade its fleet and enhance its combat readiness. This move indicates Bangladesh’s intention to become a key player in regional air defense.

I checked the relevant news sources, and indeed, many media outlets have recently been reporting on the possibility of Bangladesh purchasing Chinese fighter jets. However, it must be emphasized that the original news did not mention that Bangladesh has already chosen the J-10C, only that it plans to procure “multirole fighter jets.” Moreover, there was no mention of purchasing 16 J-10Cs; these details were added later in subsequent analyses by media outlets.

Currently, Bangladesh’s main fighter jets are China’s J-7 series, with the newer models being the J-7BGI exported in 2010. The main features include a double-delta wing design, significantly enhancing the aircraft’s maneuverability. In terms of fire control systems, it is equipped with a small pulse-Doppler fire-control radar, capable of launching PL-9C air-to-air missiles and deploying precision-guided bombs, making it a basic version of an “all-rounder in the sky.”

However, with the aging of the earlier imported J-7MB, the Bangladesh Air Force has been seeking more advanced fighter jets. Considering their tradition of using Chinese fighter jets, both from the perspective of international geopolitical relations (closely tied to arms sales) and the continuity of logistics and maintenance systems, there have long been rumors that either China’s J-10C fighter or the China-Pakistan jointly developed “JF-17 Thunder” might be selected.

In terms of operating costs, the JF-17 clearly aligns better with Bangladesh’s needs. However, considering the complex relationship between Pakistan and Bangladesh, as well as the fact that Bangladesh’s neighbor Myanmar has already purchased the JF-17, it is unlikely that Bangladesh would choose a fighter jet already well-understood by its adversaries as its future mainstay. This is why there is widespread speculation that Bangladesh may opt for the J-10C instead.

For India, however, this would create a very troubling situation. After Pakistan introduced the J-10C, Indian media had already openly expressed concerns, as India’s limited fleet of French-made Rafale fighter jets now has to contend with both the Chinese and Pakistani air forces simultaneously.

For example, the Indian “Eurasian Times” reported in June this year that, compared to the widespread attention given to the Chinese Air Force’s deployment of the J-20 stealth fighter along the China-India border, the threat posed by the “Rafale challenger” — the J-10C — has not truly garnered media attention. This is because “the J-10 is the only advanced fighter jet deployed on both the Indian side and along the borders with China and Pakistan.”

What makes India anxious is that the Chinese Air Force may pair the J-20 stealth fighter with the J-10C on the China-India border, creating a combination of high and low-tier capabilities. The J-20 would use its stealth advantage to gain air superiority or destroy the main forces of the Indian Air Force, while the J-10C would be tasked with eliminating remaining aerial threats and executing multiple missions such as ground attacks. Given that the Indian Air Force has no fifth-generation fighters and no clear path to acquiring them, it has no means to counter such tactics from the PLA.

On the Pakistan side, the Pakistani Air Force has introduced and deployed the J-10C fighter jets specifically to counter the Indian Air Force’s most advanced French-made “Rafale” fighter jets. The Indian Air Force only has 36 “Rafale” jets, while Pakistan’s J-10C procurement will reach 50 units, and they have even pre-ordered China’s J-35 stealth fighter jets. “Facing the two-front threat from China’s and Pakistan’s J-10C fighters, the Indian Air Force’s main fighter jet fleet is increasingly aging.”

If Bangladesh also introduces the J-10C fighter jets, India will face unprecedented multi-front pressure with J-10C fighters in three directions. What worries Indian media is that while Bangladesh’s air force was previously limited and didn’t pose much of a threat, with the introduction of China’s advanced fighter jets, the Indian Air Force will be forced to spread its forces even further. The memory of India having to fight two fronts simultaneously in the early India-Pakistan conflicts has not faded, and now with China, which has a much larger presence, joining in, it’s no surprise that Indian media is so concerned.

What’s even more troublesome is that the introduction of the J-10C also means that Bangladesh’s relationship with China will grow even closer. For India, which is accustomed to interfering in its neighbors’ internal affairs, this is both intolerable and beyond its control.