India Takes Flight: HAL to Manufacture SJ-100 Aircraft

In a landmark development for Indian civil aviation, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced a Memorandum of Understanding between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Russia's Public Joint Stock Company United Aircraft Corporation (PJSC-UAC). The agreement facilitates the production of the SJ-100 civil commuter aircraft in India, a move set to revolutionize short-haul connectivity.

Singh, in a statement on social media platform X, praised the pact as a milestone for the industry, underscoring its potential to enhance India's domestic civil aviation capabilities. The SJ-100 will play a pivotal role in the country’s UDAN scheme and contributes significantly toward achieving 'Aatmanirbharta' or self-reliance in aviation, he noted.

The SJ-100 will be the first complete passenger aircraft produced in India following the AVRO HS-748 era. This initiative not only boosts the private sector but also promises new employment opportunities in aviation. HAL hailed the agreement, signed recently in Moscow, as a key step toward fulfilling the country’s growing demand for regional air travel.