Pakistan buys 25 Chinese J-10C fighters in response to India\`s Rafale
Pakistan has acquired a full squadron of 25 Chinese multirole J-10C fighter jets in response to India's purchase of Rafale aircraft_ Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said on Wednesday.
The minister told reporters that a full squadron of 25 all-weather aircraft comprising J-10C will attend the Pakistan Day ceremony on 23 March next year. Apparently_ China has come to the rescue of its closest ally by providing J-10C_ one of its highly reliable fighter jets.
The minister_ who often characterises himself a graduate of Urdu-medium institutions' to poke fun at his elite English-medium colleagues_ incorrectly pronounced the name of the aircraft as JS-10 instead of J-10C.
VIP guests are coming (to attend 23rd March ceremony) for the first time in Pakistan_ the fly-past ceremony of JS-10 (J-10C) is being held Pakistan Air Force is going to perform the fly-past of China's JS-10 (J-10C) aircraft in response to Rafale_ Ahmed said.
The J-10C aircraft were part of the Pak-China joint exercise last year_ where experts from Pakistan had the opportunity to have a close look at the fighter jets.
The joint exercises started on 7 December in Pakistan and lasted about 20 days_ with China sending warplanes including J-10C_ J-11B jets_ KJ-500 early warning aircraft and Y-8 electronic warfare aircraft_ while Pakistan participated with the JF-17 and Mirage III fighter jets.
Pakistan had a fleet of US-made F-16s_ which is considered a good match for Rafale_ but it was looking for a new multirole all-weather jet to augment its defence after India purchased Rafale jets from France.
Nearly five years ago_ India signed an inter-governmental agreement with France to purchase 36 Rafale jets under a Rs 59_000-crore deal to boost the Indian Air Force's combat capabilities.
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