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HAL To Produce Russian UAC SJ-100 In India - Passenger Aircraft Production Returns After Nearly 40 Years
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) to produce the SJ-100 passenger aircraft in India. The MoU was formalised in Moscow yesterday (October 27, 2025).
Under the partnership, HAL will gain rights to manufacture the SJ-100 for India's domestic market. This marks the first time since the end of AVRO HS-748 production in 1988 that a complete passenger aircraft will be built in India. The deal aligns with the government's Make in India programme and supports long-term aviation manufacturing growth.
The SJ-100 is a twin-engine, narrow-body regional jet originally developed by the United Aircraft Corporation through its Yakovlev division. The model is derived from the earlier Sukhoi Superjet 100, which entered service in 2011.
The current SJ-100 version features mostly Russian-made components, replacing imported Western systems in response to global supply restrictions. A prototype of the Russian-tech-equipped SJ-100 completed its first flight in 2023, while a full production model flew successfully in September 2025. UAC claims it has orders exceeding 150 aircraft for the type, which will serve both domestic and export markets.
HAL described the SJ-100 as a potential game-changer for regional connectivity under the UDAN scheme, which aims to connect smaller Indian cities through affordable short-haul flights. The company said India's civil aviation sector may require more than 200 regional jets within a decade, plus 350 more to serve routes across South Asia and the Indian Ocean region.
The SJ-100's five-abreast cabin design allows 87 to 108 passengers, offering comfort comparable to larger narrow-body jets. It uses modern fly-by-wire flight controls and will be powered by Russian PD-8 turbofan engines developed by UEC Saturn, replacing earlier PowerJet SaM146 units.
The aircraft's range and short-runway capability make it suitable for routes under 2,000 kilometres-ideal for Indian regional networks. Its design allows quick turnaround operations and lower fuel consumption per seat compared to older regional jets.
The MoU was signed by Prabhat Ranjan from HAL and Oleg Bogomolov from UAC, with HAL CMD D. K. Sunil and UAC Director-General Vadim Badekh witnessing the ceremony. Both companies said the agreement builds on mutual trust and strengthens bilateral industrial cooperation in civil aviation.
HAL did not reveal investment size or production timelines but confirmed that initial manufacturing will serve Indian customers. Assembly work is set to take place at HAL's Nashik or Bengaluru facilities, leveraging the firm's existing aerospace manufacturing infrastructure.
India's last large-scale civil-aircraft production ended in 1988 when HAL completed the final Avro HS-748. The new SJ-100 project revives passenger-jet manufacturing in the country after nearly four decades, adding to HAL's growing commercial-aviation ambitions.
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