Bengaluru/Moscow: In a landmark development for India’s civil aviation sector, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Russia’s Public Joint Stock Company United Aircraft Corporation (PJSC-UAC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the production of the SJ-100 civil commuter aircraft in India. The agreement was formalised in Moscow on October 27.
The MoU has been signed by Prabhat Ranjan on behalf of HAL and Oleg Bogomolov from PJSC-UAC, in the presence of HAL's Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) Dr D K Sunil and PJSC-UAC's Director General Vadim Badekha.
The SJ-100 is a twin-engine, narrow-body aircraft that has already proven its reliability in global operations, with over 200 units produced and in service with more than 16 commercial airlines worldwide. Under this new arrangement, HAL will obtain the rights to manufacture the SJ-100 aircraft for domestic customers in India.
HAL said that the SJ-100 is poised to be a “game changer” for short-haul connectivity under the Government of India’s UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme, which aims to make air travel accessible to smaller towns and regional routes.
This partnership between HAL and UAC marks a significant milestone, as it will be the first time a complete passenger aircraft is produced in India. The last such endeavour was HAL’s production of the AVRO HS-748 aircraft, which began in 1961 and concluded in 1988.
Industry projections suggest that India’s aviation sector will require more than 200 jets in the SJ-100 category over the next decade to enhance regional connectivity. Additionally, around 350 more aircraft are expected to be needed in the Indian Ocean region to serve nearby international and tourist destinations.
HAL noted that the initiative represents a major step forward in India’s journey toward self-reliance in the civil aviation sector under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision. The project is expected to boost private sector participation and generate significant direct and indirect employment opportunities across the aviation value chain.
The manufacturing of the SJ-100 aircraft is being hailed as the beginning of a new era in India’s aviation history, reaffirming the nation’s growing capability in advanced aerospace manufacturing and global collaboration.
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