Indian and Russian firms launch superjet joint venture

Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation will provide technical, design, and specialist support to the Indian state-backed company

India’s state-backed Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has entered into a joint venture with Russia’s PJSC United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) to manufacture Sukhoi SJ-100 superjets.

The SJ-100 is a twin-engine, narrow-body Russian regional passenger aircraft already in commercial service, with more than 200 units operating across 16 airlines worldwide.

Under the arrangement, HAL will have the rights to manufacture the aircraft in India for domestic use. The South Asian nation, which is one of the world’s fastest growing aviation markets, needs over 200 jets in the next decade to boost regional connectivity.

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The deal formalises HAL’s role in certifying the Superjet locally and grants it a manufacturing and sales license, while UAC will provide technical assistance, design services and specialist… pic.twitter.com/UgtG2q9mSs

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In October, HAL announced it had signed a memorandum of understanding with UAC to produce civil commuter SJ-100 aircraft.

The SJ-100 will be a game changer for short-haul connectivity under the UDAN scheme in India, the state-backed company said in a release.

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The deal formalizes HAL’s role in certifying the SJ-100 locally and grants it a manufacturing and sales license. The UAC will provide technical assistance, design services, and specialist support to re-equip HAL’s facilities.

Manufacturing the SJ-100 in India is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative to boost domestic production capabilities.

In a related development, Russia’s United Engine Corporation (UEC) has said it is ready for serial deliveries of TV7-117ST-01 engines for the IL-114-300 regional aircraft.

The aircraft is being demonstrated for the first time at the Wings India 2026 exhibition in Hyderabad.

The TV7-117ST-01 engine was created at the St. Petersburg company UEC-Klimov, according to a statement.

“The TV7-117ST-01 service center in Russia is also ready for launch. Within the framework of the Wings India exhibition, UEC will demonstrate to its foreign colleagues all the engine’s capabilities,” Evgeny Prodanov, an official of UEC-Klimov, said.

The experimental TV7-117ST-01 engines in the aircraft have clocked almost 3,000 hours in more than 400 flights, the UEC said.

The TV7-117ST-01 has a maximum takeoff power of 3,100 horsepower and boasts reduced fuel requirements.