China has agreed to sell its most advanced fighter jet, the J-10, to Pakistan in what is set to be a landmark deal for the nation’s defence industry and the region’s geopolitical balance, the South China Morning Post reported. A source close to Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), which overseas the fighter project, said the two nations had started negotiating a deal three years ago. Pakistan would eventually order as many as 150 J-10s from China, depending on the final pricing, a person familiar with the situation said. The Jian-10 is China’s first domestically made multi-role fighter equipped with state-of-the-art technology, and is said to be comparable to America’s F-16 fighter in capability. "Pakistan wants to buy J-10s and they want them delivered soon. They told us they liked our products because they are cost-effective and powerful," the source said. He also revealed that Pakistan was looking to buy the aircraft for US$25 million each against China’s asking price of US$40 million. The deal could open the door for AVIC to sell the fighter jet to other nations. Iran, Thailand and Burma have already expressed interest, local media has reported. However, the deal with Pakistan could raise concerns from India, and may further strain already tense relations between New Delhi and Beijing.
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