Overview

• Congress leader Jairam Ramesh demanded the government explain media reports of RD-93MA engines for Pakistan’s JF-17 Block III, calling it a failure of Prime Minister Modi’s personalised diplomacy.
• The BJP rejected the coverage as reckless information warfare and accused Congress of amplifying unverified claims instead of backing national interests.
• WION and News18 quoted a Russian source saying there is no confirmation of any engine supply to Pakistan and calling such reports illogical given upcoming high-level India–Russia engagements.
• Multiple outlets noted there has been no official announcement from Moscow, even as reports said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar raised objections with Russia in June 2025.
• Russian defence experts told PTI that, if a sale did occur, it could benefit India by keeping Pakistan reliant on Russian-origin engines and making JF-17 performance more predictable, with the JF-17 Block III also linked in reports to PL-15 missiles cited after Operation Sindoor.