Russia eyes major aircraft push in India ahead of BRICS with 105-plane deal

Russia's United Aircraft Corporation is moving towards multiple aircraft agreements with Indian aviation companies at Innoprom India. The talks centre on IL-114-300 orders and wider plans to build SJ-100 aircraft in India.

In Short

• IL-114-300 aircraft is central to India-Russia aviation talks
• Agreements expected at Innoprom India in New Delhi
• Local production of SJ-100 jet in India close to finalisation

Russia is set to advance multiple aircraft agreements with Indian aviation companies, with proposed deals involving as many as 105 regional passenger aircraft as Russia looks to expand its aviation presence in India ahead of the BRICS summit.

United Aircraft Corporation's IL-114-300 regional passenger aircraft has emerged as a key focus of the growing aviation cooperation between the two countries.

UAC CEO Vadim Badekha said negotiations with Indian partners have made significant progress over the past six months and that several agreements are expected to be formalised during the Innoprom India exhibition in New Delhi.

The proposed deals include plans for 50 IL-114-300 aircraft for Pinnacle Air, up to 20 aircraft for Air Kerala and another 35 aircraft linked to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Sleek Aviation.

The latest developments follow a preliminary agreement that UAC signed with Indian company Flamingo Aerospace in January for the potential supply of six IL-114-300 aircraft. The two sides signed the agreement during the Wings India aviation exhibition in Hyderabad.

Russia is also looking at India as a potential base for expanding aircraft manufacturing. According to UAC, discussions on local production of the SJ-100 regional jet in India are around 80 per cent complete, with an agreement expected to be signed soon.

UAC and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) had earlier this year signed an agreement relating to the joint licensed production of the SJ-100 in India.

The growing aviation engagement comes as Russia seeks to deepen industrial cooperation with India beyond traditional defence platforms. The proposed aircraft deals indicate a possible expansion of India-Russia aerospace ties into civil aviation, regional connectivity and aircraft manufacturing.

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

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