The Pentagon’s 2025 China Military Power Report has confirmed one of the most consequential developments in South Asian defense dynamics: since 2020, China has supplied Pakistan with a total of 36 Chengdu J-10C multirole fighter aircraft. This revelation, formally acknowledged in a congressionally mandated report submitted in December 2025, cements Islamabad as the J-10C’s sole export operator and marks a critical inflection point in regional air power competition following the May 2025 Indo-Pakistani aerial clashes known as Operation Sindoor.
By formally documenting the deliveries, the United States Department of Defense (DoD) has effectively validated years of intelligence assessments, underscoring Beijing’s growing use of defense exports as instruments of geopolitical leverage. In South Asia, where beyond-visual-range (BVR) engagements, sensor-centric warfare, and rapid-response air operations define the modern battlefield, the J-10C’s induction into the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) introduces a decisive shift in the strategic calculus along the Line of Control (LoC).
According to the report, “as of May 2025, China delivered 20 units—their only J-10C exports—to Pakistan as part of two previous orders totaling 36 since 2020,” with the remaining aircraft scheduled for delivery by early 2026. This disclosure coincides with intense scrutiny of Pakistan’s air arm following Operation Sindoor, during which J-10C fighters armed with PL-15 long-range air-to-air missiles reportedly engaged Indian Air Force (IAF) Rafale jets at extreme ranges. These claims have reverberated across defense ministries in Cairo, Jakarta, and beyond, amplifying the aircraft’s operational credibility.
The Pentagon report situates the J-10C within China’s broader strategy as the world’s fourth-largest arms exporter, emphasizing Beijing’s use of cost-efficient, technologically competitive platforms to penetrate markets increasingly constrained by Western export restrictions and political conditions. Pakistan’s position as the sole export operator of the J-10C reflects a calculated Chinese strategy in which Islamabad functions simultaneously as a geopolitical ally, operational proving ground, and marketing vector for Beijing’s advanced combat aviation systems.
The operational pairing of the J-10C with the PL-15 missile extends Pakistan’s strike range, compresses India’s decision-making timelines, and heightens escalation risks in an already fragile theater. From a defense-industrial perspective, the report underscores China’s transition from opportunistic arms sales to a coherent export doctrine leveraging combat-credible platforms, sovereign supply chains, and flexible financing. Collectively, the J-10C deliveries, their combat validation, and international interest signal a pivotal moment in which Chinese aerospace systems have moved from theoretical challengers to operationally relevant instruments capable of reshaping air power balances across the Indo-Pacific.
Pakistan’s adoption of the J-10C marks a structural transformation of its air force doctrine. For the first time, Islamabad has fielded a fourth-generation-plus platform optimized for long-range, network-centric combat rather than traditional dogfighting paradigms. Developed by Chengdu Aerospace Corporation, the J-10C integrates AESA radar, digital electronic warfare suites, and advanced datalink architecture. The export-configured J-10CE, powered by the WS-10 Taihang turbofan, reduces reliance on Russian engines while offering improved thrust and sortie reliability.
The PAF procured the first J-10Cs in 2020 amid deteriorating relations with India following the Balakot episode and accelerating Indian acquisitions of Rafales. Initial deliveries began in March 2022, accelerating after 2023, with at least two frontline squadrons operational by mid-2025, deployed along critical corridors covering Punjab, Kashmir, and the Arabian Sea approaches. Unit costs are estimated at USD 40–50 million, significantly lower than India’s Rafales at around USD 120 million per aircraft when weapons and lifecycle support are included.
Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu has emphasized the platform’s strategic importance, stating that the J-10C “bridges the gap between our legacy fleets and future aspirations, ensuring we maintain qualitative edge in regional dynamics.” Beyond aircraft acquisition, the program reinforces broader Sino-Pakistani defense integration, complementing joint production of the JF-17 Thunder, cooperative UAV development, and shared training frameworks.
J-10C’s capabilities highlight its relevance in modern air combat:
- Avionics: KLJ-7A AESA radar enhances BVR engagement through extended detection and target discrimination.
- Weapons: Integration with PL-15 missiles provides long-range interception and countermeasure resilience; short-range PL-10 missiles cover close-in engagements.
- Propulsion: The WS-10 engine offers improved reliability over earlier Russian engines.
- Payload & Versatility: Eleven hardpoints accommodate air-to-air and air-to-surface ordnance, enabling missions from air superiority to precision strikes.
- Networked Operations: Digital datalink and sensor fusion allow integration into modern theater command-and-control frameworks.
While Pakistan remains the only confirmed J-10C export customer, the Pentagon report notes interest from Egypt, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Iran, and Bangladesh. Egypt views the aircraft as complementary to its Rafale, MiG-29M, and F-16 fleet. Uzbekistan seeks an alternative to aging post-Soviet aircraft. Indonesia’s interest reflects South China Sea tensions, while Iran and Bangladesh see the platform as a cost-effective path to modern air combat capabilities in politically constrained procurement environments.
The May 2025 aerial engagements between India and Pakistan provided the J-10C’s operational debut. Pakistani authorities asserted that J-10C fighters armed with PL-15 missiles engaged Indian aircraft at ranges exceeding 200 kilometers, reportedly downing multiple Rafales and other fighter types. While India disputed exact numbers, recovered missile debris confirmed PL-15 use, offering rare combat validation for Chinese export-grade fighter technology.
Operation Sindoor transformed the J-10C from a theoretical export prospect into a combat-credible system. For Pakistan, the platform now serves as both deterrent and operational asset, compelling India to accelerate acquisitions and upgrade counter-BVR capabilities. Strategically, the deployments reflect China’s dual-track approach: simultaneously containing India along the LoC while strengthening Pakistan’s aerial strike and interception capabilities.
The operationalization of the J-10C has profound implications for South Asian air power. Networked BVR engagements, compressed decision timelines, and extended strike envelopes heighten escalation risks while reshaping force planning, basing, and command architectures. Washington’s report frames these exports as part of Beijing’s broader strategy to erode Western influence in global arms markets by offering politically flexible, technologically credible alternatives.
India must now reassess doctrines predicated on qualitative air superiority, while regional air forces observe the shift toward missile-dominated, sensor-centric operations. At the alliance level, China’s ability to project influence through high-end arms transfers adds a new variable in U.S. and allied contingency planning, particularly in scenarios where multiple theaters may be contested simultaneously.
Beyond the J-10C, the Pentagon notes that China has offered Pakistan up to 40 J-35 fifth-generation stealth fighters. Coupled with KJ-500 AEW&C aircraft, HQ-19 missile defense systems, and space-based ISR cooperation, these developments point to an increasingly integrated Sino-Pakistani aerospace ecosystem. Chinese and Pakistani officials frame these acquisitions as stabilizing, emphasizing deterrence rather than provocation.
As 2025 closes, the J-10C’s trajectory—from selective export to combat-validated platform—symbolizes China’s emergence as a full-spectrum aerospace power capable of shaping regional balances through technology, affordability, and strategic alignment. For Pakistan, the aircraft represents insurance in a volatile environment; for prospective buyers, it signals the rise of a multipolar arms market no longer dominated by Western offerings. Yet the Pentagon implicitly warns that the proliferation of advanced fighters and long-range missiles carries inherent escalation risks that demand careful management, even as states pursue security through technological parity.
The Pentagon’s 2025 report confirms a watershed moment in South Asian air power. China’s delivery of 36 J-10C fighters to Pakistan, their operational integration, and asserted combat employment have recalibrated the balance of air combat capability along the LoC. With the aircraft now validated in combat conditions and attracting international attention, the J-10C exemplifies the convergence of strategic export policy, advanced technology, and operational relevance.
For Islamabad, the fighter ensures parity in a volatile theater. For Beijing, it demonstrates the efficacy of a mature, export-oriented aerospace doctrine. For the region, it introduces a new era of sensor-driven, missile-centric aerial warfare, where first-shot advantage, networked targeting, and operational readiness increasingly define strategic stability. As the Indo-Pacific braces for these shifts, the J-10C story underscores that future air power is not merely about numbers but about technology, integration, and the ability to translate capacity into credible deterrence.
