Uploaded June 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 days ago
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has rejected recent media reports suggesting that Islamabad has signed a deal with China to acquire the J-35A fifth-generation stealth fighter jet.
In a televised interview, Asif dismissed the claims, saying, “I think it is only in the media. It is good for sale, Chinese defence sales, you know,” in response to a question regarding the reported delivery of the jets by 2026.
Speculation had been building following a series of unverified media reports asserting that Pakistan was on the verge of acquiring 40 J-35A aircraft from China, with some outlets suggesting the deliveries could begin as early as August 2025.
According to those reports, the deal was being finalized at a steeply discounted price, and the jets would come equipped with advanced PL-17 long-range air-to-air missiles.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has rejected recent media reports suggesting that Islamabad has signed a deal with China to acquire the J-35A fifth-generation stealth fighter jet.
In a televised interview, Asif dismissed the claims, saying, “I think it is only in the media. It is good for sale, Chinese defence sales, you know,” in response to a question regarding the reported delivery of the jets by 2026.
Speculation had been building following a series of unverified media reports asserting that Pakistan was on the verge of acquiring 40 J-35A aircraft from China, with some outlets suggesting the deliveries could begin as early as August 2025.
According to those reports, the deal was being finalized at a steeply discounted price, and the jets would come equipped with advanced PL-17 long-range air-to-air missiles.
