New Delhi: Russia is looking beyond the defence sector and wants to tap into India’s rapidly expanding civil aviation market, with its state-owned United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) pitching a range of Russian passenger aircraft for regional connectivity.
It is also offering localisation of production and MRO (Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul) facilities in the country.
UAC, the umbrella organisation for Russia’s major aircraft manufacturers like the Sukhoi, MiG, Ilyushin, Tupolev among others is showcasing three of its latest commercial aircraft at the first-ever ‘Innoprom.India’ exhibition in New Delhi.
The aircraft being showcased are the IL-114-300 turboprop, SJ-100 short-range jet and MC-21 medium-range airliner.
The exhibition is being held from 9 to 11 September at the Bharat Mandapam, coinciding with the BRICS Leaders’ Summit. Innoprom began in 2010 in Ekaterinburg as a business-to-business industrial exhibition and is being held in India for the first time.
The Russian pitch comes as India seeks to expand regional air connectivity.
Under the Modified UDAN Scheme approved in March, the government plans to develop 100 airports from existing unserved airstrips to enhance regional connectivity, in line with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision of infrastructure expansion and transforming India into a globally competitive aviation ecosystem with a total outlay of Rs.12,159 crore over the next eight years.
UAC is seeking to position its aircraft across different segments of this emerging market.
The company says the IL-114-300 could be used to connect smaller cities and towns under the UDAN programme, particularly from airports with limited infrastructure. The SJ-100, a short-range narrow-body jet capable of carrying up to 103 passengers, is being positioned for routes linking major cities with regional centres and smaller towns. The larger MC-21 is intended for higher-demand domestic routes, the UAC said in a statement.
Russia has been trying to rebuild its commercial aviation industry around domestically produced aircraft with its own components after the post-2022 disruption of access to Western aerospace technology and supply chains.
As part of the Innoprom business programme, UAC is organising a session titled ‘Partnership Takes Flight: Towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat through Regional Aviation Projects’, where it plans to present its proposals for using Russian aircraft in India’s regional aviation network.
The company is also pitching localisation rather than merely aircraft sales.
SJ-100 and HAL partnership
The most significant of the Russian push is the proposed production of the SJ-100 in India through a partnership with state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
UAC and HAL signed an agreement in January this year for cooperation on licensed production of the SJ-100 in India. Under the agreement, HAL is to receive rights to manufacture and sell the aircraft, including assemblies, parts and components required for maintenance and repair, while UAC will assist in establishing and upgrading HAL’s production facilities.
The partnership follows an MoU signed by the two companies in Moscow in October 2025.
The SJ-100 is a short-range narrow-body aircraft with a capacity of up to 103 passengers. As part of import-substitution efforts, the aircraft is equipped with Russian PD-8 engines, as well as domestic landing gear, avionics, an auxiliary power unit, and other systems. It is designed to foster regional air travel that bypasses major aviation hubs.
UAC CEO Vadim Badekha said the two sides have now made substantial progress on the licensing agreement.
“We are continuing the work initiated at the ‘Wings of India’ exhibition last January. Over the past six months, we have made significant progress in negotiations and reached a number of agreements regarding the IL-114-300, which we will sign at INNOPROM India,” Badekha said.
On the SJ-100 partnership with HAL, he said more than 80 percent of the licensing agreement had been finalised and that the two sides expected to sign it soon. “We expect to conclude a contract with the first Indian operator at the upcoming Aero India 2027 exhibition.”
The regional aviation circuit within India is gathering steam. Earlier this month, Goa-based airline FLY91 placed an order for 40 ATR 72-600 turboprops.
IL-114-300 for smaller airports
The other aircraft being pushed is the IL-114-300, a turboprop designed for regional operations.
UAC says it is designed to develop regional air connectivity. It is capable of operating autonomously from small airfields—regardless of their infrastructure—as well as from short runways, it said.
The company had already begun discussions with Indian operators following Wings India 2026 in Hyderabad. UAC had signed a preliminary agreement with Hyderabad-based Flamingo Aerospace for six IL-114-300 aircraft, aimed at operations serving underserved routes and smaller airports.
Badekha said agreements related to the IL-114-300 would be signed during Innoprom.India.
The MC-21, meanwhile, represents Russia’s attempt to enter the much larger medium-range passenger-aircraft segment. It is designed to compete in a market dominated globally by aircraft such as the Airbus A320 family and Boeing 737 family.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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