The sudden rise in demands for Chinese fighter jets after the May 2025 air clash between India and Pakistan is a lesson in how modern weapons are sold. For years, Chinese combat aircraft were treated by many buyers as cheaper alternatives to Western or Russian platforms. That perception changed after Pakistan used Chinese-made J-10C fighters in combat and claimed to have shot down several Indian aircraft, including a French-made Rafale.
Reuters reported that U.S. officials believed a Pakistani Chinese-made jet brought down at least two Indian military aircraft, while another Reuters analysis said the downing of a Rafale was linked to India’s misjudgment of the range of China’s PL-15 missile.
The impressive battlefield performance immediately boosted sales for the Chinese company involved. Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC, a subsidiary of AVIC), which makes the J-10 family, reported 2025 revenue of about 75.4 billion yuan, roughly $11 billion, up 15.8 percent, while profit rose 6.5 percent to 3.4 billion yuan. Its first-quarter 2026 sales jumped nearly 80 percent, close to doubling. It’s impossible to prove that every new order came because of Pakistan’s performance, but the timing is too significant to dismiss.
In defense procurement, combat performance is the strongest advertisement. Pakistan inducted the J-10C in 2022, with Reuters describing the aircraft as a major upgrade for the Pakistan Air Force. After the 2025 clashes with India, the jet acquired the status of a battlefield-tested capability.
The J-10C’s actual performance in those clashes remains contested. India has acknowledged aircraft losses without fully detailing them, while Pakistan’s larger claims remain disputed. Reuters reported that the Indian Air Force said “losses are part of combat,” and India itself claimed that it had shot down Pakistani aircraft. The truth is probably more complicated than either side’s public narrative. Still, arms markets often move on perception before complete evidence arrives.
The J-10C story fits a larger pattern. SIPRI’s 2025 arms transfer data showed that Pakistan became the world’s fifth-largest major arms importer in 2021-25, with imports of military equipment up 66 percent. China supplied 80 percent of Pakistan’s arms imports during that period. Pakistan is not merely a customer, but it is China’s most visible defense showcase.
In June 2025, Reuters reported that Indonesia was evaluating China’s J-10 while considering cost, compatibility and after-sales support. By October, AP reported that Indonesia planned to acquire at least 42 J-10C fighters, with a budget reported at more than $9 billion. That is a serious strategic signal.
The Rafale should not be written off. It remains one of the world’s most respected multirole fighters. Dassault Aviation advertises the Rafale as a high-end platform for intense combat missions. In 2025, India signed an agreement with France to purchase 26 Rafale-Marine aircraft. Dassault confirmed that these will join the 36 Rafales already operated by the Indian Air Force.
But reputation matters, and Rafale’s loss is China’s gain. According to the Associated Press, French intelligence believes China tried to undermine Rafale sales after the India-Pakistan clash. Reuters reported on similar allegations from the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. China rejected those claims, but the controversy itself shows how air combat now extends into information warfare.
The J-10C will not replace Western fighters everywhere, and buyers will still worry about maintenance, integration, and political dependency. But after May 2025, China can make a stronger pitch that its aircraft are not only cheaper than U.S. and European alternatives, but they are combat-tested. That is why CAC’s sales boom matters far beyond one company’s balance sheet: the India-Pakistan clashes revealed China’s defense industry prowess to a wider market.
