Finance adviser declines to comment on reported $2.2b Chinese fighter jet purchase
Speaking to journalists after a meeting of the Government Purchase Advisory Council today (7 October), Dr Salehuddin was asked about the government’s plan to buy 20 fighter aircraft for the Bangladesh Air Force at an estimated cost of $2.2 billion
Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed declined to comment on Bangladesh's reported plan to purchase fighter jets worth $2.2 billion from China.
Speaking to journalists after a meeting of the Government Purchase Advisory Council today (7 October), Dr Salehuddin was asked about the government's plan to buy 20 fighter aircraft for the Bangladesh Air Force at an estimated cost of $2.2 billion.
In response, he said, "I will not make any comment on this matter."
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According to official documents reviewed by The Business Standard, the government is preparing to buy 20 Chinese-made J-10CE multirole fighter jets at an estimated cost of $2.20 billion (around Tk27,060 crore) by 2027 to modernise the Bangladesh Air Force and strengthen national air defence.
The proposed deal includes procurement, training, maintenance, and other associated expenses. It is expected to be executed during FY26 and FY27, either through a direct purchase or a government-to-government arrangement. Payments would reportedly be spread over 10 fiscal years, up to FY2035–36.
The J-10CE is the export variant of China's J-10C, already in service with the Chinese air force.
The aircraft recently attracted international attention after reports suggested it may have downed French-made Rafale jets of the Indian Air Force during the India-Pakistan clashes of May 2025 - an incident yet to be independently verified.
