Bangladesh drafts negotiating terms for Chinese fighters, Turkish attack helicopters

A Bangladeshi government panel has drawn up draft agreements to guide negotiations over the purchase of Chinese J-10CE multirole fighters and Turkish attack helicopters, according to a government adviser speaking on August 25, 2026.

Zahed Ur Rahman, an information and broadcasting adviser to the prime minister, said the Bangladesh Air Force is pursuing a broader modernization effort. That includes fourth-generation fighters, other combat aircraft, attack and VIP helicopters, and unmanned systems, he said. According to Bangladeshi accounts of the briefing, the acquisitions would proceed during the 2026-27 fiscal year if funding is available, or be deferred to the following budget cycle if not.

The exact scale of the fighter order remains unsettled. Figures reported in October 2025, under the previous interim government, pointed to a deal for 20 J-10CE aircraft valued at roughly $2.2 billion. That was split between about $1.2 billion for the jets themselves and $1 billion for training, spare parts and related costs, with payments extending to fiscal 2035-36. A separate report in June 2026 from Daily Waadaa cited an unnamed senior official as saying Bangladesh sought 24 aircraft at around $40 million each, with hopes of signing a deal by August. Neither Dhaka nor Beijing has confirmed whether the requirement stands at 20 or 24 aircraft.

An official statement issued after a June 2026 visit to China by Tarique Rahman mentioned only broader defense cooperation, without referencing any fighter purchase.

The attack-helicopter component of the plan is believed to involve Turkish Aerospace's T129 model, though this has not been officially confirmed.