Bengaluru/Moscow, October 28 2025 — India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (PJSC UAC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to manufacture the SJ-100 civil commuter aircraft in India. The agreement, inked in Moscow on October 27, was signed by Mr. Prabhat Ranjan of HAL and Mr. Oleg Bogomolov of UAC, in the presence of Dr. D. K. Sunil, Chairman & Managing Director of HAL, and Mr. Vadim Badekha, Director General of PJSC UAC.
UAC is a state-owned Russian aerospace conglomerate currently under sanctions by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, and Switzerland for its role in Russia’s defence and aerospace sector. It was added to the U.S. OFAC Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list in June 2022 under Executive Order 14024, with similar restrictions imposed by other jurisdictions.
A New Chapter for Indian Civil Aviation
The SJ-100 is an upgraded, all-Russian version of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 – a twin-engine, narrow-body regional jet of which over 200 units have been built and are in service, mainly with Russian carriers.
HAL stated that this partnership “marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Indian aviation industry,” and will be the first instance of a complete passenger aircraft being produced in India since the Avro HS-748.
Under the MoU, HAL will obtain the rights to manufacture the SJ-100 for domestic customers, with production aimed primarily at strengthening regional connectivity under the UDAN scheme. The company described the initiative as a step toward realizing the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) in civil aircraft manufacturing.
The ‘All-Russian’ SJ-100: A Sanctions-Era Redesign
The SJ-100 is the import-substituted version of the Sukhoi Superjet 100 — redesigned after Western sanctions cut off access to key foreign systems. The original model depended heavily on suppliers such as Thales (avionics), Honeywell (auxiliary power units), and PowerJet (SaM146 engines).
To replace these, Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) and its Yakovlev branch developed a fully domestic version using PD-8 engines from United Engine Corporation and more than 140 Russian-made systems.
The first all-Russian SJ-100 completed its maiden flight on September 5, 2025, from Komsomolsk-on-Amur. UAC says about two dozen aircraft are now in various stages of assembly. The redesign is therefore less a new aircraft than a sanctions-driven self-reliance effort, reflecting Russia’s bid to sustain its civil-aviation industry under export restrictions.
The earlier Sukhoi Superjet 100 variant, powered by Franco–Russian SaM146 engines, held EASA certification from 2012, enabling limited international operations. The new SJ-100, however, uses entirely Russian systems and the PD-8 engine, and is intended solely for domestic certification under Rosaviatsia, effectively closing off access to Western markets.
Significance and Outlook
HAL estimates that India will require more than 200 regional jets and about 350 aircraft serving Indian-Ocean destinations over the next decade. The collaboration is expected to create new supply-chain opportunities, generate direct and indirect skilled employment, and encourage private-sector participation in the civil aerospace ecosystem.
While the MoU establishes the framework and manufacturing rights, details such as production timelines, localization levels, and certification processes are yet to be announced.
India’s Earlier Passenger Aircraft Effort: The Avro HS-748
The Avro HS-748 (locally known as the HAL 748) was built under licence from the UK’s Hawker Siddeley. Between 1961 and 1988, HAL produced 89 aircraft-72 for the Indian Air Force and 17 for Indian Airlines. The turboprop was valued for its reliability and short-field performance, but its production ended in 1988, leaving India without a domestic passenger aircraft programme for nearly four decades.
The SJ-100 partnership represents a revival of India’s civil-aircraft manufacturing capability. However, UAC’s sanctions status continues to cast uncertainty over the project’s wider prospects, particularly in areas of international certification, financing, and market access. With the SJ-100 now equipped exclusively with Russian systems and engines, its commercial viability outside sanctioned or allied markets remains unclear.
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