In the conflict between India and Pakistan in May 2025, the Indian Air Force suffered a big stumble. India launched an "Operation Sindour". On the evening of May 6, it sent Rafale and Su-30MKI across the line to bomb the so-called terror points in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. As a result, the Pakistan Air Force used the J-10CE under the command of the early warning aircraft to defeat three Indian Rafales and two Su-30s beyond visual range, with zero losses.
The conflict delayed for four days, the third party pulled a ceasefire. The Pakistani missiles also counter-handed the Indian border post. This affair exploded around the world, and U.S. officials all acknowledged that Pakistan used China's J-10 to launch uranium-15 missiles. The Indian Air Force called it a shame, the Army called Europe's top cargo, with Meteor missiles, resulting in electronic warfare and hidden confrontation with the J-10CE pressed on the ground friction.
After this victory, Pakistan has gained a bigger appetite. On June 6, the Pakistani government's social account directly announced that it had signed a large order with China: 40 J-35 fifth-generation stealth aircraft, plus Air Police-500 early warning aircraft and Red Flag-19 anti-missile aircraft, for a total price of US$6 billion.
The J-35 is the first feature of the dual-launch version of the 2024 Zhuhai Air Show. On September 3, 2025, the National Day military parade will be unveiled. Active phased array radar, internal weapon bay, stealth performance benchmark F-35.
Pakistani pilots went to China for training a few months earlier, and the first batch is expected to arrive in 2026. Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif also stated at the end of June that the final order of the J-10CE will be collected in 2026, and the J-35 will follow up on time. British Jane's Defense Weekly also said that the Pakistani Air Force's training is ahead of schedule and can fly within a few months.
The Indian Air Force panicked. There are now 31 squadrons left, and the 42 squadrons approved by Congress are long overstaffed. With 721 fighter jets, the availability rate is less than 60%. The output of the Glory fighter jets cannot climb up. There are only 36 gusts, and there are no imported fifth-generation fighter jets at all. Its own AMCA fifth-generation aircraft project was just approved in May. The prototype will be tested in 2028, and the fastest mass production will be in 2035.
The Indian view, Pakistan should first get South Asia's first five-generation aircraft force, the air advantage directly overturn. This gap is not a year or two can be pursued, the Indian Air Force senior day-to-day overtime wants to address.
In early October, when the BRICS Summit was held in Kazan, Indian diplomats seized the opportunity to bypass Pakistan and directly approached high-level Chinese officials. Ask China to postpone the delivery of the J-35 to Pakistan to give the Indian Air Force a breather.
On October 27, India's "Defense Research Wing" (IDRW) website exploded, titled the party must fly up: "The Iron Belt Alliance's cracks? China should demand India to postpone the sale of the J-35 to Pakistan for 3-4 years". the article said that the news came from Japan's renowned defense analyst podcast, citing intelligence sources, saying that China "implicitly" India implored.
When this report came out, there was cheers on the Indian Internet and tens of thousands of posts were posted on X. Some people say that "India's diplomacy is awesome and reshaping South Asian airspace." But a closer look reveals. The source of the news was a Japanese analyst who "did not want to be named". The podcast did not specifically say when China and India talked with whom, and what China responded. Just a word of acquiescence sounds like China doesn't give a shit about India.
Pakistani Defence Minister Ashiv directed: pure media nonsense, the J-35 delivered unchanged. X-Shiba netizens and Chinese observers laughed at the sky, @FakeNWatchdog posted rumors, saying it was pre-election propaganda in India, zero official evidence.
The J-35 has just served, China itself needs a lot, the production line has just warmed up.The Pakistani agreement signed in early 2025, 2026 may be delivered normally, and the modern military aircraft delivery cycle starts in 3 years.
The first batch of 36 Pakistani J-10CE36 has been put into service, and its financial resources are limited. It is unrealistic to receive two new aircraft at the same time. However, China and Pakistan are hardcore and the core of CPEC strategy, and the first export order of the J-35 is stable. The Indian media also compiled that the J-35 had engine problems and insufficient mass production, and used "showing kindness to India" as an excuse. The actual Shenyang factory publicly reported that the production line was at full capacity.
The Indians say hello, they feel that their trade is large enough, and China has to shake up.Wake up, China and Pakistan are all weather, the Indian border friction continues, and the wheel gets plugged.
The Indian Air Force is really in dilemma. The AMCA engine is stuck, the imported F-35 is not sold in the United States, and the Su-57 is given priority to Russia. The second batch of Rafale will be towed until 2028, and the production of Tejas Mk1A is only two aircraft per month. Pakistan's JF-17 Block3 assembly line, J-10CE actual combat verification, and the arrival of the J-35 have widened the generation gap in air combat in South Asia.