India and Russia have deepened their strategic partnership with a landmark agreement to jointly produce a twin-engine, narrow-body passenger aircraft for short-haul routes — marking the first-ever initiative to manufacture a civilian passenger jet in India.
The collaboration was formalised on Monday in Moscow, where state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) signed a pact with Russia’s Public Joint Stock Company United Aircraft Corporation (PJSC-UAC) for the production of the SJ-100 aircraft. The agreement was witnessed by HAL Chairman and Managing Director DK Sunil and UAC Director General Vadim Badekha.
Under the deal, HAL will gain production rights for the SJ-100 to serve domestic airlines and regional operators. The aircraft, which has already seen over 200 units produced and operated by more than 16 international carriers, is expected to play a vital role in India’s regional connectivity plans.
“The SJ-100 will be a game changer for short-haul connectivity under the UDAN scheme,” HAL said in a statement, referring to the Government’s initiative to enhance air links between smaller cities across the country.
HAL described the project as a “new chapter” in the nation’s aviation history, emphasising that it advances India’s goal of achieving self-reliance in civil aerospace manufacturing under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ vision. The company noted that the venture is likely to stimulate private-sector participation, generate significant employment, and strengthen the overall aviation ecosystem. Industry projections indicate India will need more than 200 regional jets within the next decade, along with an additional 350 aircraft to serve destinations across the Indian Ocean region.
“This collaboration reflects the deep trust and mutual confidence between HAL and UAC,” HAL said. “It also represents a milestone, as it will be the first time a complete passenger aircraft is produced in India.”
The only comparable project in India’s past was HAL’s production of the AVRO HS-748 aircraft for the Indian Air Force, which began in 1961 and continued until 1988.
With this agreement, India is poised to enter a new era in civil aviation manufacturing—bringing Russian engineering expertise, Indian industrial capability to build a new generation of passenger jets for regional and international use.
