HAL, Russia's UAC sign MoU for production of civil aircraft SJ-100 in India

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Russia’s Public Joint Stock Company United Aircraft Corporation (PJSC-UAC) to produce the SJ-100 civil commuter aircraft. The agreement was signed in Moscow on Monday.

The SJ-100 is a twin-engine, narrow-body aircraft designed for short-haul flights. Over 200 SJ-100s have already been produced and are currently in operation with more than 16 commercial airlines globally.

Under this collaboration, HAL will gain the rights to manufacture SJ-100 aircraft for Indian customers. The aircraft is expected to play a key role in improving regional air connectivity under the UDAN Scheme, which aims to make air travel affordable and accessible to smaller cities across India.

First complete passenger aircraft to be produced in India

The press release stated that this is the first time a complete passenger aircraft will be manufactured in India. The last such project by the company was the production of the AVRO HS-748, which began in 1961 and concluded in 1988.

HAL said the partnership with UAC reflects “mutual trust” and is a major step towards 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' in the aviation sector.

The collaboration comes at a time when India’s aviation industry is expanding rapidly. HAL estimates that over the next decade, India will need more than 200 regional jets for domestic connectivity and another 350 aircraft for routes connecting nearby international tourist destinations in the Indian Ocean region.

"The manufacturing of the SJ-100 aircraft marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Indian aviation industry," HAL said in the press release.