China Showcases J-10C Fighter Jet in Documentary after Pakistan's Combat Claim Against India

Pratiksha Ghosh 

News Delhi, May 25 :Chinese state broadcaster CCTV has released a two-part documentary on the J-10C fighter jet, shortly amid Pakistan claimed to have used the Chinese-made aircraft to shoot down Indian jets during “Operation Sindoor”.

Aired on National Memory, a programme celebrating Communist Party milestones, The Legend of the J-10 serves as a patriotic narrative aimed at inspiring national pride. The documentary details the development of the J-10 since 1982 and highlights its technical milestones, including AESA radar and long-range missile capabilities.

On May 17, CCTV claimed that the J-10CE—the export variant—had achieved its "first real battle victory," reportedly shooting down multiple foreign aircraft without loss, in an apparent reference to the India-Pakistan conflict.

Earlier, on May 8, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asserted in Parliament that Chinese J-10C jets had successfully downed Indian aircraft. However, no evidence was presented, and India has neither confirmed nor denied the claims. 

Indian Air Force official A.K. Bharti acknowledged operational losses but offered no specifics.

China has since displayed the J-10C at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition in Malaysia. According to SIPRI, 81% of Pakistan’s arms imports from 2020 to 2024 were sourced from China, including the J-10C and JF-17 jets.