<h1>Government approves purchase of 42 Chinese J-10C fighters over $9B, raising procurement, export-control and interoperability legal issues</h1> A government has approved a procurement contract to acquire at least 42 Chinese-made Chengdu J-10C fighter jets, with a budget exceeding USD 9 billion, marking its first major purchase of non-Western aircraft as part of a broader military modernization program. The acquisition raises legal issues including compliance with national defence procurement law and budgeting procedures, export-control and foreign-supplier vetting requirements, interoperability and maintenance obligations with existing mixed-origin fleets, and potential treaty or regional-security implications that may trigger diplomatic or regulatory scrutiny. Ongoing reviews and pending delivery timelines suggest further contractual, regulatory and geopolitical risk assessments are likely before finalization.