India has a much larger fleet of 4.5-generation fighters but is lagging behind Pakistan in the acquisition of stealth warplanes
4-MIN READ4-MINTom HussainPublished: 11:00am, 8 May 2026A year after fending off a massive Indian air assault with the help of Chinese warplanes and missiles, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on Thursday unveiled plans to upgrade its fleet through further acquisitions of Chengdu J-10C fighters and substantial upgrades to the JF-17s co-produced by the two allies.The PAF further confirmed that it has signed an “initial collaborative agreement” for the acquisition of fifth-generation Sheyang J-35 stealth fighter, without disclosing any details about the scope of the deal.
The J-35s would also boost the PAF’s ability to project military power into the Persian Gulf. Pakistan last month deployed a squadron of fighters – including JF-17s – to Saudi Arabia under a mutual defence pact signed last September.
At a press conference in Islamabad, PAF deputy chief of air staff Air Vice-Marshal Tariq Ghazi said “foundations have been laid for the acquisition of advanced capabilities” – including long-range precision weapons (LRPW), next-generation platforms, “additional” J-10C aircraft, and “much upgraded” JF-17s.
