India partners with Russian firm to produce passenger aircraft
India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) has signed a deal with Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) to jointly produce the SJ-100 civil passenger aircraft, granting India the right to manufacture the plane domestically for the first time.
The agreement, signed in Moscow on October 27, marks a historic step for India in the global civil aviation market, long dominated by Airbus and Boeing, according to Amit Malviya, head of Prime Minister Modi’s party IT department, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
UAC is currently under U.S., EU, and U.K. sanctions due to its role in Russia’s military-industrial complex. Since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, these sanctions have restricted Russian airlines’ access to Western-made spare parts, limiting their ability to maintain commercial fleets.
India has resisted joining Western sanctions and continues to expand cooperation with Russia, though the growing partnership has drawn scrutiny from Washington, particularly over India’s energy ties with Moscow.
Indian refiners are reportedly preparing to reduce Russian oil imports, shifting toward the Middle East and U.S. supplies. Prime Minister Modi has assured U.S. President Donald Trump that India will stop buying Russian oil, following previous tensions over trade and sanctions.
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