Bangladesh and China sign G2G deal to establish advanced drone manufacturing plant in Bogra

Key facts

• The Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) and state-owned China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) signed a government-to-government (G2G) agreement to establish a drone manufacturing facility.
• The plant will be located near the New Bogra Airbase in the Bogra region and is expected to be operational by late 2026.
• The facility will initially focus on producing Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) UAVs.
• The partnership involves a full technology transfer from CETC to the BAF to enable Bangladesh to eventually design and assemble its own indigenous UAVs.
• The BAF is also finalising a USD 2.2 billion deal with China to procure 20 Chengdu J-10C Vigorous Dragon multirole fighter jets to replace its ageing fleet.
• The manufacturing site's proximity to India’s Siliguri Corridor, known as the Chicken’s Neck, has raised security concerns regarding intelligence risks and signals data collection.
• The signing ceremony at the BAF headquarters in Dhaka Cantonment was attended by Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan and Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen.