On January 28, at the India Aviation Show, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) inked a formal agreement with Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC). Through this deal, HAL secured the production and sales rights for the Yakovlev SJ-100 regional jet, and will set up a production line in India to craft a version tailored specifically for the Indian market. This milestone represents India's first revival of a domestic civilian airliner manufacturing initiative since the 1980s.

The two entities aim to unveil the first SJ-100 assembled in India by 2027, secure its airworthiness certification, and hand it over to Indian airlines by 2028. The SJ-100 is a twin-engine, narrow-body regional jet capable of seating up to 100 passengers. Currently, over 200 of these aircraft are in service globally.

In the initial stage of their collaboration, HAL will support UAC in obtaining certification and verifying airworthiness for the SJ-100 in India. The aircraft will be assembled using vital components sourced from Russia. Over time, the share of parts manufactured locally in India will progressively rise, culminating in complete localization, encompassing the engine and avionics systems.

Furthermore, UAC has entered into a pact with Indian private firm Flamingo Aerospace to supply six Il-114-300 turboprop aircraft. They will also explore avenues for future localized production, with deliveries slated to commence in 2028.