China Deploys 11 Stealth J-20 Fighter Jets Near Indian Border
China Deploys 11 Stealth J-20 Fighter Jets Near Indian Border
Satellite imagery has revealed that China has ramped up deployment of frontline J-20 “Mighty Dragon” stealth fighter jets at airbases close to the Indian border, days after thanking Indian troops for rescuing Chinese soldiers.
July 28, 2026
New Delhi: China has once again been accused of undermining trust with India, days after its troops were thanked by the Indian Army for a rescue operation involving Chinese soldiers. A new report has revealed that China has increased the deployment of frontline J-20 “Mighty Dragon” stealth fighter jets at airbases situated close to the Indian border.
According to a report by The War Zone, citing satellite imagery, China stationed 11 J-20 jets across two airbases in late June and early July this year. The images, sourced from Planet Labs, showed seven J-20 fighters on the runway at Hotan airbase in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region on July 9. This dual-use civilian-military base lies roughly 389 km northeast of Leh and just 245 km northeast of the Indian Air Force’s Daulat Beg Oldi airfield in northern Ladakh. A second image in the report showed four J-20 jets on the flight line at Damxung airbase near Lhasa in Tibet, located about 344 km northwest of Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.
Former fighter pilot and co-founder of aerospace and defence R&D firm NewSpace, Sameer Joshi, told NDTV that the presence of seven J-20 jets at Hotan and four at Damxung indicates that operating fifth-generation aircraft from high-altitude bases facing India has become routine for the Chinese air force, no longer a symbolic gesture or signal. He added that this development strengthens the need for India to bolster its counter-stealth sensors, integrated air defence and stand-off strike capabilities.
The J-20, prized for its stealth capability, is designed to assert dominance in contested airspace, with an advanced design that gives it a significantly reduced radar signature. China’s air force currently operates close to 500 J-20 fighter jets.
Social media Handles :
Instagram
Youtube
Facebook
Twitter
Also Read- Pune
