Claim
A letter allegedly written by External Affairs Minister claiming that sensitive details of the Rafale naval aircraft delivery schedule had been leaked, is being widely circulated on social media.
Verdict
The claim is false.
What Is Being Claimed?
A letter allegedly written by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to the French Embassy, claiming that sensitive details of the Rafale naval aircraft delivery schedule had been leaked, is being widely circulated on social media. Social media users, including an X (formerly Twitter) account named “Discourse Lab,” shared an image of a purported official letter dated November 26, 2025, addressed to French Ambassador Thierry Mathou. India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has officially dismissed the circulating letter as fake and fabricated.
The letter claimed that leaked information regarding the Rafale Marine aircraft deliveries had caused “unexpected complications” in India-France defence cooperation.
Some posts suggested that the alleged communication indicated internal concerns within the Indian government over the Rafale deal
What Factcheck India Found?
The MEA’s fact-check unit, in a post on X, categorically rejected the authenticity of the letter.
“The letter being referred to in this post is fake. Always stay alert against disinformation,”
the MEA stated.
The ministry also shared screenshots identifying the source of the viral claim and warned users against falling for misleading and fabricated content.
Why the Claim Is False?
- The letter did not originate from the MEA or the External Affairs Minister’s office
- The signature attributed to S Jaishankar is fabricated
- No official communication regarding leaked Rafale delivery timelines has been issued
- The content does not align with official diplomatic or defence communication protocols
What Is The Context?
The fake letter surfaced months after India signed a ₹63,000 crore defence agreement with France for the acquisition of 26 Rafale Marine (Rafale M) fighter jets for the Indian Navy.
Key details of the deal:
- Signed in April 2025 under a government-to-government framework
- Includes 22 single-seater and 4 twin-seater Rafale M jets
- Aircraft will operate from INS Vikrant
- Designed to complement the Navy’s existing MiG-29K fleet
The Indian Air Force already operates 36 Rafale jets, procured under a separate 2016 deal, bringing India’s total Rafale fleet to 62 aircraft after the new induction.
Conclusion By Factcheck India
The viral letter attributed to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is entirely fake. The Ministry of External Affairs has officially debunked the claim and urged citizens to remain vigilant against disinformation targeting India’s defence and foreign policy matters.