Indian state-owned aerospace and defense manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) for the manufacture of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SJ-100) in India. The agreement was signed on Monday in Moscow, paving the way for the first joint production of civilian aircraft in the history of the two countries, which have cooperated for decades in defense manufacturing. HAL in particular long co-operated with Russian industry, including with UAC, to produce military aircraft such as the Mikoyan MiG-21, MiG-27, and Sukhoi Su-30MKI.

Under the new agreement, HAL will have the right to produce the Sukhoi Superjet for domestic customers in India. This collaboration represents the first time a “complete passenger” aircraft will be produced in India since the AVRO HS-748 project, which began in 1961 and ended in 1988, many decades ago. Yes, the Dornier 228 is also made in India by HAL under license. The aircraft is used for various roles by the Indian armed forces and is now also being used for commercial and civil aviation to connect remote areas.

New Delhi has been placing high priority on improving regional connectivity through its ‘Udan’ regional airport development program. The co-production, once it bears fruit, will also support domestic job creation and local production. HAL estimates that there is a market for over 200 regional jets in India over the next decade, with a further 350 required by the Indian Ocean Region countries.

While no details were given as to potential Indian customers for the SJ-100 or when production might commence, the move is seen as a pivotal step toward self-reliance in civil aviation, potentially injecting competition into a market long monopolized by Boeing and Airbus, and to some extent by Embraer.

Regional jets have yet to make significant inroads in the Indian market, with carriers preferring larger narrow-body aircraft. India’s major regional jet operator is Star Air, which operates seven Embraer E175s and two ERJ-145s.

The SJ-100 currently has 71 firm orders, all from Russian carriers, with Red Wings Airlines the largest at 45 orders. The Superjet 100 from which it is derived is still powered by the PowerJet SaM146, a joint program with French firm Safran. UAC is meanwhile conducting certification tests of the SJ-100, with Russian Aviadvigatel PD-8 engines.

The UAC Sukhoi SJ-100 is a twin-engine, narrow-body, short-haul, regional jet aircraft that made its first flight in 2008 and made its first commercial flight in 2011. It........

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