A new documentary-style analysis explores the long and complex journey of India and Pakistan’s race for fighter-jet supremacy, an arms competition that began the moment both nations emerged from the partition of 1947. Over nearly eight decades, the contest has evolved from dependence on foreign suppliers to ambitious indigenous and co-produced aircraft, reflecting shifting geopolitics, technological aspirations, and enduring rivalry between the two nuclear neighbours.
In the early post-Independence years, both air forces relied heavily on foreign imports. Pakistan procured American aircraft such as the F-86 Sabre, while India turned to British and later Soviet suppliers, inducting jets like the Hawker Hunter. These early fighters played decisive roles during the 1965 war, when aerial dogfights became a defining feature of the conflict.
The push for self-reliance gained momentum during the Cold War. Pakistan partnered with China to develop what would become the JF-17 Thunder, while India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited launched the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme to replace its ageing MiG-21 fleet. Both projects faced challenges, but by the early 2000s, prototypes of the JF-17 and Tejas finally took flight.
Pakistan’s JF-17 has since become a cornerstone of its air-power strategy. Produced jointly with China, the aircraft has entered multiple upgraded “Block” variants, including the advanced Block III. Its induction into frontline squadrons and its first major export deal with Azerbaijan have strengthened Pakistan’s aerospace standing. The jet also gained significant attention at the 2025 Dubai Airshow, where a memorandum of understanding was reportedly signed with a friendly nation for procurement.
India’s Tejas, though technologically ambitious, has faced criticism over delays, production bottlenecks, and design challenges. The recent crash of a Tejas Mk 1A at the Dubai Airshow highlighted these concerns, even as India works to accelerate deliveries under the “Make in India” banner.
Analysts now believe Pakistan’s potential acquisition of China’s J-35 stealth fighters by 2029 could shift the regional balance further. With both nations expanding modernisation efforts, the skies of South Asia remain a central arena of competition, one shaped as much by geopolitics as by engineering ambition.