In a major step toward bolstering self-reliance in aviation and deepening its long-standing strategic partnership with Moscow, India’s state-owned aerospace and defense giant Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) to jointly manufacture the Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SJ-100) in India. The landmark agreement, signed in Moscow on October 27, marks the first joint production of a civilian aircraft between the two nations – a significant departure from their traditional military-centered collaboration.

HAL and UAC’s cooperation represents a new chapter in India-Russia industrial relations. For decades, the two countries have maintained robust defense collaboration, co-producing iconic fighter jets such as the MiG-21, MiG-27, and Sukhoi Su-30MKI. However, the SJ-100 partnership stands out as the first major civilian aircraft co-production effort in India since the British-origin AVRO HS-748 project, which began in 1961 and ended in 1988.

While HAL already assembles the Dornier 228 aircraft under license – used for both military and civil operations – the SJ-100 initiative is the first full-scale passenger jet program to be undertaken domestically in over three decades. The project aligns perfectly with New Delhi’s ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives, which emphasize domestic manufacturing, technology transfer, and reduced import dependency.

The MoU gives HAL rights to produce the aircraft for the Indian market, and potentially for regional exports. The company estimates a domestic demand for more than 200 regional jets within the next ten years, with a further 350 units anticipated across the Indian Ocean region.

India’s civil aviation sector is currently the third-largest and fastest-growing in the world, but it remains heavily dependent on foreign suppliers such as Boeing and Airbus. The government’s ‘Udan’ regional connectivity scheme – designed to make air travel affordable and link smaller cities – has created a growing demand for efficient regional aircraft. Yet, regional jets have made limited headway in India, with most carriers favoring larger narrow-body aircraft like the Airbus A320 or Boeing 737 for cost efficiency.

Currently, Star Air is India’s primary regional jet operator,........

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