ISLAMABAD: China has confirmed that its exported J-10CE fighter jet has achieved its first combat victory, successfully shooting down multiple enemy aircraft during an aerial engagement without suffering any losses, marking a significant milestone for the Chinese-made combat aircraft.
In a statement issued on Monday, China’s State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND) said the J-10CE’s battlefield performance demonstrated the aircraft’s operational effectiveness in real combat conditions outside China.
“The J-10CE fighter jet, exported by China, achieved its first combat success abroad by downing multiple aircraft without incurring any losses,” the Chinese defense authority said.
The confirmation comes in the wake of the brief but intense Pakistan-India military confrontation in May, during which air power played a central role. Pakistan has previously stated that its air force downed several Indian aircraft during the escalation, while China’s acknowledgement underscores the growing operational credibility of its defense exports and Pakistan’s reliance on advanced Chinese military technology.
According to the US Department of War, Pakistan is currently the only country operating the Chinese-built J-10C fighter jet. The report noted that as of May 2025, 20 additional aircraft were delivered to Pakistan, raising the Pakistan Air Force’s J-10CE fleet to 36 jets since 2020.
China’s state news agency Xinhua described the J-10CE as an “all-weather, single-engine, single-seat, multi-role fighter jet” independently developed by China to meet modern aerial warfare requirements.
Commenting on the aircraft’s performance, the Chinese side said the combat outcome reflected both reliability and competitiveness.
The J-10CE’s “combat success abroad fully demonstrates its practicality and usability, highlights its strong competitiveness compared to similar foreign equipment, and promotes Chinese aviation products in the international market,” Xinhua quoted Chinese defense officials as saying.
Pakistan has stated that during the May confrontation, it shot down seven Indian fighter jets, including three French-made Rafale aircraft. The conflict followed an attack on civilians in Indian-occupied Kashmir, an incident India blamed on Pakistan. A charge Islamabad categorically rejected and has offered “independent investigation.”
The four-day conflict marked the deadliest cross-border fighting since 2019, involving missile, drone, and artillery strikes, before both sides agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire.
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in September, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistani forces had reduced Indian aircraft to “scrap and dust.” India, meanwhile, claimed it had shot down five Pakistani fighter jets. A claim Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif dismissed as “comical.”
Islamabad and Beijing are long-term strategic allies, bound by strong bilateral ties, deep defense cooperation, and a shared commitment to regional stability.
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