India to Commence Production of Russian SJ-100 Civilian Aircraft

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), a state-owned Indian company, has announced plans to begin the production of Russian SJ-100 passenger aircraft under an agreement signed with the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) of Russia.

According to Bloomberg, the agreement was finalized between HAL and Russia's UAC, which operates under the state corporation Rostec. This marks the first instance in which a fully civilian passenger aircraft will be manufactured in India.

HAL has not clarified whether the collaboration will include technology transfer and has not responded to inquiries about the size of funding or potential interest from airlines participating in the project.

It has been noted that the agreement was signed just before Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India.

The SJ-100 aircraft and its PD-8 engine are currently undergoing certification. Flight tests began in the spring, with initial plans to complete them by the end of the year. However, according to Rostec's head Sergey Chemezov, all necessary procedures are likely to be completed by early next year.