China jet maker gains $7.6B post Pakistan-India war due to the reported combat performance showcased by the fighter jets.
Following the recent military escalation between India and Pakistan, Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (the Chinese manufacturer of the J-10C fighter jet) saw its market value jump by over $7.6 billion (Rs2.1 trillion), according to Bloomberg report. The surge in global interest was largely due to the J-10C’s reported battlefield performance.
This increase in attention came after the Pakistan Air Force claimed that J-10C jets successfully shot down five Indian aircraft, including three Rafales, during a four-day exchange involving missiles, drones, and artillery, which ended with a U.S.-mediated ceasefire.
The conflict has led to a renewed evaluation of Chinese military technology, challenging the notion that it lags behind Western weaponry in terms of effectiveness.
Bloomberg noted that Chengdu Aircraft Corporation’s market value soared by more than 55 billion yuan ($7.6 billion), an increase of over 25% by the end of the week.
China is currently the fourth-largest arms exporter globally, mostly supplying developing countries like Pakistan. However, the latest success of Chinese-made weaponry may strengthen Beijing’s global defense sales, especially as nations heed former U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for higher military spending.
James Char, a scholar at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, remarked that Chinese arms may now be more attractive to developing nations. He pointed out that the J-10C isn’t even China’s most advanced fighter jet, yet it is gaining international recognition.
Though the J-10C has had limited combat deployment and is usually stationed for missions like patrolling the Taiwan Strait, its successful use by Pakistan has offered a preliminary indication of how it might perform against U.S.-made aircraft such as the F-16.
The India-Pakistan conflict also spotlighted another Chinese weapon – the PL-15 air-to-air missile.
Debris from the PL-15 missile was found in India after the attacks, hinting at the missile’s first successful use in combat. The missile, equipped on Pakistan’s J-10Cs, can travel at speeds over Mach 5 and competes with top-tier Western air-to-air missiles.
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