Congress’ Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh on Saturday demanded an explanation from the Narendra Modi government on Russia’s decision to supply advanced RD-93MA engines to Pakistan’s fleet of Chinese JF-17 fighter jets.
“The Modi government must explain why Russia – once India’s most reliable strategic ally – has chosen to ignore New Delhi’s appeals and proceed with supplying advanced RD-93MA engines to Pakistan’s fleet of Chinese-made JF-17 fighter jets. The latest Block III variant of this aircraft will feature the upgraded engine and the same PL-15 missiles believed to have been used against our country during Operation Sindoor,” Ramesh wrote in a post on X.
Multiple media reports suggest Russia turned down India’s appeal and went ahead with the deal to supply the engine to Pakistan, right after the sub-continental neighbours went to war.
According to defence experts, the advanced powerplant, manufactured by Russia’s United Engine Corporation (UEC)-Klimov, forms the propulsion backbone of Pakistan’s most advanced JF-17 Thunder Block III fighter jets, developed in collaboration with China.
Pakistan had banked on the Chinese-made fleet of the fighter jets to counter India’s fighters.
Ramesh said, the IAF chief also stated that the JF-17 may be among the Pakistani fighters that were used against India during last May’s war.
“As far as the air defence part is concerned, we have evidence of one long range strike… along with that five fighters, high-tech fighters between F-16 and JF-17 class, our system tells us,” air force chief Amar Preet told the media on Friday.
“According to multiple news reports, this deal is moving forward despite direct interventions by external affairs minister S. Jaishankar in June 2025. The government owes the nation an explanation as to why a long-time and trusted partner like Russia is now providing military support to Pakistan, even as India continues to purchase S-400 missile systems and negotiates for Su-57 stealth fighters from Moscow,” said Ramesh.
China and Russia had signed the deal on the supply of engines in 2007 which India had objected to.
The Russian president Vladimir Putin will be in India later this year for the 23rd annual summit with PM Modi.
Modi has often trumpeted his close ties with Russia and the Russian president at a personal level.
“This is a reflection of the depth and scope of our Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership. India and Russia have always stood shoulder-to-shoulder even in the most difficult situations,” Modi had said during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) when he met Putin.
Ramesh blamed the development on Modi’s allegedly faulty diplomatic tactics.
“This development underscores yet another failure of Prime Minister Modi’s personalised brand of diplomacy, which prioritises image-building and global spectacle over national interests,” Ramesh said. “Years of high-profile summits, choreographed photo opportunities with hugs, and grandstanding on the world stage have failed to yield substantive outcomes.”
Ramesh said India had failed to isolate Pakistan at the international stage.
“India remains unable to diplomatically isolate Pakistan. Instead, Pakistan’s leadership – including its army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, whose communally poisonous statements provided the immediate backdrop to the Pahalgam terror attack – is being courted very warmly by President Donald Trump and supplied weapons by President Vladimir Putin, all while enjoying unqualified backing from China during Operation Sindoor,” he said.
