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In the high-stakes theatre of modern aerial warfare, South Asia’s two indigenous light fighters—the Pakistan-China co-developed JF-17 Thunder and India’s domestically built HAL Tejas—have emerged as strategic flagships representing distinct national doctrines, industrial trajectories, and geopolitical alignments.
As the spotlight intensifies on China’s J-10C multirole fighter jet, another name increasingly capturing the attention of global defence analysts is the PL-15E, China’s export-variant long-range Beyond Visual Range (BVR) air-to-air missile.
During the recently concluded joint aerial exercise between China and Egypt, a high-ranking Egyptian Air Force commander publicly expressed keen interest in Beijing’s next-generation stealth fighter, the J-35A, underscoring a potential pivot in Cairo’s strategic airpower ambitions.
At present, speculation is mounting within global defence circles that Azerbaijan may have dramatically increased its procurement of JF-17 “Thunder” light multirole fighter aircraft from an initial 16 units to a staggering 40, in a deal reportedly valued at US$4.2 billion (RM18.48 billion).
In a move laden with geo-strategic significance, India has deployed its cutting-edge Russian-built S-400 Triumf long-range air defence system to the Siliguri Corridor—a narrow, 20–22 kilometre-wide land bridge in West Bengal often dubbed the “Chicken’s Neck” due to its precarious geography.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is preparing to usher in a new era of long-range, high-precision aerial warfare with the integration of the BrahMos-NG (Next Generation) missile across its frontline combat platforms, including the MiG-29UPG, Mirage 2000, and HAL Tejas Mk1A.
At Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition 2025 (LIMA 2025), China’s J-10CE multirole fighter—an export derivative of its frontline J-10C—has emerged as a focal point of global attention at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre in Langkawi, serving as a potent symbol of Beijing’s ascension in the high-end tactical aircraft market.
Last year, Pakistan unveiled its most ambitious airpower project to date with the JF-17 PFX (Pakistan Experimental Complex), a next-generation variant of the JF-17 fighter platform designed to confront India’s advancing aerial capabilities and emancipate the country from reliance on foreign defence suppliers.
Taiwan has formally joined the widening circle of nations seeking access to debris from China’s PL-15 beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile, after remnants of the weapon were recovered deep within Indian territory in the aftermath of a high-intensity Pakistan-India aerial clash.
Around last year, the China Airborne Missile Academy (CAMA), the developer of the PL-15E beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile, publicly showcased the weapon—now regarded as a “superstar” in the ongoing Pakistan-India aerial conflict—highlighting its distinctive folded-fin design, a critical feature that enhances stealth compatibility, internal carriage, and aerodynamic performance.