Key Points and Summary on J-35A Stealth Fighter – Pakistan has officially denied reports from June that it had agreed to purchase 40 J-35A stealth fighters from China at a 50% discount.
-The initial reports, which caused the manufacturer’s stock to soar, were dismissed by Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif as media hype that was “good for… Chinese defence sales.”
-The denial raises questions about whether the story was a strategic marketing ploy by Beijing to promote its F-35 rival on the global stage.
Complicating matters are Pakistan’s own fiscal woes and conflicting, unverified claims that Pakistani pilots are already training on the J-35A in China.
Pakistan Denies Discounted J-35A Stealth Chinese Fighter Jet Deal
In an era of aggressive military posturing and shifting alliances, few stories reveal the intersection of defence sales and propaganda quite like the latest controversy over China’s J-35A stealth fighter jet.
Last month, multiple outlets reported that Pakistan had become the first international buyer of the J-35A—a fifth-generation aircraft billed as China’s answer to the American F-35—at an eye-catching 50% discount.
Now, Islamabad is denying any such deal, raising questions about whether the reports were strategic salesmanship rather than grounded fact.
Where the Story Started…
The reports, first picked up by Bloomberg and others in June, claimed Pakistan had agreed to purchase 40 J-35As from China’s Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, with deliveries slated to begin as soon as August 2025.
The aircraft, equipped with AESA radar and long-range PL-17 missiles, was said to be part of Pakistan’s efforts to counterbalance India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) program.
Shares in Shenyang’s parent company soared 10% on the news, seemingly validating its export potential.
Pakistan Slams China’s Claims
But just weeks later, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif dismissed the story outright in a televised interview: “I think it is only in the media. It is good for sale, Chinese defence sales, you know.”
So was the previous announcement a concrete sign of growing ties with Islamabad, or a mere marketing ploy all along?
Spates of defence commentators smell a rat: one shaped a lot like yet another Beijing PR campaign. Reports recently cite French intelligence sources claiming China has also been orchestrating a campaign to discredit the French-made Rafale jet—used by India in May’s border clashes with Pakistan—in hopes of discouraging countries like Indonesia from expanding Rafale orders. Against this backdrop, the supposed J-35A “deal” appears less like a quiet arms agreement and more like a billboard.
Complicating matters further are Pakistan’s own fiscal woes. Under IMF pressure, Islamabad slashed its national budget by 7% this year and cancelled over a hundred development projects—even while hiking defence spending by 20%. Publicly denying a big-ticket weapons purchase helps maintain the appearance of restraint, especially with the government eager to project economic responsibility.
Was This Just a Bogus Report? Well…
Yet, conflicting reports persist. Reports are circulating, citing anonymous sources, that claim J-35A pilot training has already begun in China, following the Pakistan Air Force’s official sign-off on the purchase. But when it comes to the Chinese media, it is always difficult to decipher what is legitimate news and what is government disinformation.
Still, China is already Pakistan’s biggest arms supplier, with Pakistan now buying some 80% of its military equipment from its neighbour, including HQ-9 air defences and other fighter jets.
A J-35A acquisition would have further deepened that dependency—raising eyebrows in both New Delhi and Washington.
About the Author:
Georgia Gilholy is a journalist based in the United Kingdom who has been published in Newsweek, The Times of Israel, and the Spectator. Gilholy writes about international politics, culture, and education.
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