Why China-Pakistan Fighter Programme Still Flies on Russian Power

Russia has dismissed reports that it is supplying its latest RD-93MA engines to Pakistan for use in the JF-17 Block III fighter, calling such speculation “illogical” given Moscow’s deep strategic partnership with India. The denial comes amid attempts by some quarters to portray the rumoured deal as a potential setback for New Delhi ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s expected visit to India later this year.

According to Russian officials and experts, no such decision has been taken to export the upgraded RD-93MA, a modernised derivative of the MiG-29’s RD-33 engine, to Pakistan. Moscow’s defence industry insiders have termed the reports a “political distraction” aimed at undermining the credibility of the long-standing India–Russia defence relationship, which continues to underpin key joint projects in fighter aircraft, nuclear submarines, and missile systems.

China’s Engine Dependence Persists

Analysts note that even if such a deal were to occur, it would expose Beijing’s inability to produce an indigenous replacement for the Russian engine that powers the Pakistan Air Force’s frontline fighters. The JF-17 Thunder, co-developed by China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation and the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), continues to rely on Russian-made RD-93 engines supplied under a commercial arrangement dating back two decades.

China has for years attempted to field a homegrown alternative, the WS-13 Taishan turbofan, but recurring reliability and performance issues have delayed its induction. The fact that Pakistan may still need Russian propulsion for its “most advanced” JF-17 variant underscores that the China–Pakistan collaboration remains technologically dependent on Moscow.

“This situation actually benefits India,” said a senior Russian analyst to a news agency. “It shows that China has yet to close the technology gap in engine design and that Pakistan’s air fleet remains bound by the limitations of Russian-origin systems long familiar to the Indian Air Force.”

No Strategic Shift Against India

Defence experts in Moscow have emphasised that Russia’s military-technical engagement with Pakistan remains limited and commercially insignificant compared to its decades-long cooperation with India. India, by contrast, holds licensed production rights for the superior RD-33 engine used in its MiG-29 fleet and has in-depth operational experience with its variants.

The JF-17’s reliance on the older RD-93 also carries tactical disadvantages. The engine’s characteristic emission of dark smoke under certain thrust conditions makes the aircraft easier to visually track in air combat – a flaw well-documented by the IAF from operational monitoring.

“Even in the hypothetical case of Pakistan acquiring the RD-93MA, it would not alter the regional balance of airpower,” the Russian expert added. “India’s air fleet is powered by far more capable systems and benefits from a deeper industrial base and technical cooperation with Russia.”

Moscow Balances Ties

The Russian denial also serves to reinforce Moscow’s balancing act between New Delhi and Beijing. With President Putin’s visit expected to focus on major defence and energy agreements, officials in Moscow appear keen to dispel any impression that it would risk strategic discomfort with India by arming Pakistan.

In the end, the controversy surrounding the RD-93MA engine appears less about actual military transfers and more about optics, and in those optics, India’s position remains secure.

Ravi Shankar