India, Russia Discuss Joint Production of Civil Passenger Aircraft to Boost Regional Connectivity

India and Russia are exploring deeper cooperation in civil aviation, including the joint production of passenger aircraft in India, as the two countries look to meet the growing demand for regional air connectivity.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu held discussions with Russian Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov on Thursday on opportunities for aircraft manufacturing and broader industrial cooperation.

“With the immense potential of regional connectivity, there is a strong opportunity for India and Russia to take our relationship from buyer-seller to joint manufacturing and deeper industrial cooperation,” Naidu said in a post on X.

HAL, UAC Working on Superjet Production

India's state-owned aerospace company Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Russia's United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) had earlier signed an initial agreement for the licensed joint production and support of Russia's Superjet (SJ-100) civil commuter aircraft in India.

Discussions on localisation of the aircraft are reportedly nearing completion, potentially paving the way for greater domestic manufacturing and maintenance capabilities.

105 Regional Aircraft in Proposed Deals

The broader discussions and proposed agreements also include potential deliveries and arrangements for 105 regional turboprop aircraft to Indian operators, including Pinnacle Air, Air Kerala and Sleek Aviation.

Russia showcased its SJ-100, MC-21 and Il-114-300 regional aircraft at the Innoprom India event in New Delhi, seeking to tap into India's expanding regional aviation market.

Aviation Emerges as New Area of India-Russia Cooperation

The growing engagement marks a potential expansion of India-Russia aerospace cooperation beyond their long-standing defence relationship, which has included platforms such as MiG and Sukhoi fighter aircraft.

The proposed civil aviation projects could broaden bilateral cooperation into aircraft manufacturing, regional connectivity and aerospace supply chains.

Innoprom India, being held in New Delhi from September 9 to 11 ahead of the BRICS summit, has brought together more than 120 Russian and Indian companies.

Embraer Explores Make in India Opportunities

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer also held discussions with Naidu. Its global head of government relations, Jose Serrador Neto, met the minister to discuss the company's Make in India plans and potential areas of collaboration.

An official statement said growing confidence among global aircraft manufacturers in India's aerospace ecosystem, along with increasing reliance on Indian suppliers for global aviation supply chains, was encouraging.