New Delhi, Oct 28: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Russia's Public Joint Stock Company United Aircraft Corporation (PJSC-UAC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to produce for the first time a passenger aircraft, the SJ-100, in India.
The agreement was inked in Moscow on Monday, according to a press release by HAL.
The SJ-100 is a twin-engine, narrow-body aircraft designed for short-haul flights. Over 200 SJ-100s have already been produced and are currently in operation with more than 16 commercial airlines globally.
Under this collaboration, HAL will gain the rights to manufacture SJ-100 aircraft for Indian customers. The aircraft is expected to play a key role in improving regional air connectivity under the UDAN Scheme.
This is the first time a complete passenger aircraft will be manufactured in India. The last such project by the company was the production of the AVRO HS-748, which began in 1961 and concluded in 1988, said the release.
HAL said the partnership with UAC reflects mutual trust and is a major step towards 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' in the aviation sector.
HAL estimates that over the next decade, India will need more than 200 regional jets for domestic connectivity and another 350 aircraft for routes connecting nearby international tourist destinations in the Indian Ocean region.
"The manufacturing of the SJ-100 aircraft marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Indian aviation industry," HAL said in the press release.
