China Accused of Forcing Bangladesh and Europe into Billion-Dollar Aircraft Deals: India News
A proposed $3.6 billion acquisition package involving aircraft, logistics, training, sustainment, and long-term maintenance support is at the center of growing controversy, with India news reports accusing China of forcefully pushing Bangladesh and European nations to buy its military aircraft. The deal would significantly elevate the Bangladesh Air Force’s combat capability while expanding Beijing’s defence-industrial footprint directly along India’s sensitive eastern frontier. According to multiple reports, Bangladesh’s interim administration under Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus accelerated negotiations following Sheikh Hasina’s removal in August 2024, signalling a major recalibration in Dhaka’s external security alignments during a period of deep political turbulence and regional uncertainty. Among the major issues on the bilateral agenda is a possible agreement for Bangladesh to procure 24 Chengdu J-10CE multirole fighter jets, with 10 aircraft proposed for incorporation into Bangladesh’s Table of Organisation and Equipment and the remaining 10 kept outside it.nnFor India, the optics surrounding Bangladesh’s interest in the same Chinese fighter ecosystem already operated by Pakistan reinforce longstanding concerns regarding a gradually consolidating Chinese-led regional military architecture surrounding the Indian mainland. Indian strategic anxiety has intensified because Bangladesh occupies a uniquely sensitive geographic position adjacent to the Siliguri Corridor, commonly described as the “Chicken’s Neck,” which connects mainland India with its northeastern states through a narrow land corridor. Chinese-origin submarines, armoured vehicles, missile systems, tanks, naval platforms, and tactical aircraft already dominate significant segments of Bangladesh’s defence inventory, allowing Beijing to progressively shape doctrine, maintenance architecture, and operational interoperability inside the Bangladeshi military establishment. Pakistan is currently the only confirmed foreign operator of the export variant, making Bangladesh’s proposed purchase potentially significant for China’s fighter-jet export ambitions.nnBangladesh currently operates a large number of Chinese-origin aircraft, including F-7 fighter jets, and China remains its biggest defence supplier. The accusation that China is forcing such purchases extends to Europe as well, with reports alleging that Beijing has used similar pressure tactics to secure billion-dollar aircraft deals across the continent. However, a proposed visit by Bangladesh’s leadership to India remains uncertain, with no dates confirmed yet. As Dhaka weighs its options amid political
Shimanta Das 
