 "HAL and Russia's Public Joint Stock Company United Aircraft Corporation sign an MoU for production of civil commuter aircraft SJ-100 (X)")
In a move toward realising the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) initiative in aviation, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Russia’s Public Joint Stock Company United Aircraft Corporation (PJSC-UAC) to manufacture the SJ-100 civil commuter aircraft in India.
The agreement, inked in Moscow, grants HAL the rights to produce the twin-engine, narrow-body aircraft for Indian domestic customers.
HAL, Russia’s UAC to make SJ-100 in India: A first in decades
This joint project is being hailed as a major milestone, as it marks the first time a complete passenger aircraft will be manufactured in India since the production of the AVRO HS-748 concluded in 1988.
The SJ-100, which is designed for short-haul flights and is already operated by over 16 commercial airlines globally, is expected to be a crucial asset in enhancing regional air connectivity across the country, particularly under the government’s UDAN scheme.
HAL called the new partnership a sign of “mutual trust” and a big step for India’s growing aviation industry.
India will need over 200 regional jets for domestic travel and 350 more for nearby international flights in the next ten years, making the SJ-100 an important part of that growth.