Pakistan in panic mode as India considers to purchase Russian SU-57 fighter jet, struggles to get Chinese J-35, now puts last hope on…

Pakistan was claiming for a long time that it would soon get J-35 fighter jets from China. These jets are known as fifth-generation fighter aircraft, which are very modern and advanced. But now, Pakistan’s Defence Minister has clearly said that Pakistan is not buying J-35 jets from China and there are two main reasons behind this change. First, the pressure from the United States, and second, China is not ready to deliver these jets so quickly. Earlier also, experts had said that Pakistan was just making big promises and it was not possible for China to deliver such advanced jets in a few months.

Meanwhile, India’s Defence Secretary said that India is seriously thinking about buying fifth-generation fighter jets from a friendly country. As Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to visit India soon, many believe that India might buy the Su-57 fighter jet from Russia to meet its urgent needs. However, there is no official confirmation about this deal yet.

Pakistan may ask China to give them J-20 “Mighty Dragon” stealth fighter

A former fighter pilot of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and defence expert, Air Commodore (Retd) Khalid Chishti, has said that if China delays the delivery of the J-35A jets, then Pakistan may ask China to give them J-20 “Mighty Dragon” stealth fighter jets instead. These J-20 jets are also advanced fifth-generation aircraft.

Pakistan’s New Drama over Fifth-Generation Fighter Jets

Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was earlier claiming that it would get 40 J-35A stealth fighter jets (the export version of China’s FC-31) within a few months.  However, earlier reports had suggested that Pakistan may only get these jets by 2027, not anytime soon.

In an interview with TRT Global, retired Air Commodore Khalid Chishti, a Pakistani defence expert, said, “Pakistan does not have access to any other fifth-generation jets, so if India gets the SU-57E from Russia, then Pakistan will have to depend completely on China.”

The J-20 is China’s most advanced fifth-generation stealth fighter jet. It has been made only for the Chinese Air Force and is not for sale to other countries. So far, China has never sold the J-20 to anyone, and it has also never tried to sell it.

What if Pakistan gets the J-20?

Even though the chances of Pakistan getting China’s J-20 fighter jet are very low, let’s imagine what could happen if it actually does. Suppose China agrees to give the J-20 to Pakistan, Pakistan will face many problems. The J-20 is a very advanced jet, and using it would not be easy for Pakistan. Because:

  • Pakistan will need a very well-trained pilots to fly it
  • New airbases with longer runways
  • Modern radar and air defense systems
  • Advanced ground equipment
  • And new types of missiles specially made for the J-20

Pakistan would also have to spend a lot of money to build all this support infrastructure.

What is India doing in this race?

India, too, has been discussing the need for a fifth-generation fighter jet for a long time. But unlike Pakistan, India doesn’t have a money problem. For India, the challenges are more about strategy and geopolitics.

India’s own jet project, called AMCA, is still under development and may not be ready before 2035. So for now, India has two options:

  • The Russian Su-57E
  • The American F-35

News