Indian regional airlines to buy 105 Russian planes

Three Indian domestic airlines have signed agreements on 105 Russian Il-114-300 passenger aircraft, as Moscow and New Delhi move to expand cooperation in civil aviation and manufacturing.

The proposed purchases include 50 aircraft for regional airlines Pinnacle Air, up to 20 for Air Kerala, and 35 for Sleek Aviation.

The companies are yet to start scheduled commercial flights. Another startup, Flamingo Aerospace, previously agreed to buy six of these planes, whose delivery is expected in 2028.

The agreements, memoranda of understanding, and letters of intent were announced in New Delhi just ahead of the BRICS summit starting Friday. This comes as India and Russia seek to broaden industrial and economic cooperation beyond their traditional areas of partnership. 

The Il-114-300 is a 68-seat turboprop designed for regional routes. It can operate from smaller airports and short runways, making it suited to operate from smaller cities. Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) has positioned the plane for India’s expanding regional aviation network.  India is the world’s third-largest aviation market and has been expanding air links to its fast-growing tier-2 and tier-3 cities. Under its regional connectivity program (UDAN), New Delhi is also seeking to bring more smaller airports into the country’s commercial aviation network.

In June, UAC chief Vadim Badekha said Indian airlines are considering up to 200 Il-114-300 and SJ-100 aircraft combined.

UAC and India’s state-run aerospace manufacturer, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), are also advancing plans to manufacture the SJ-100 regional passenger jet in India.

The two companies signed a cooperation agreement in January as a basis for starting licensed production. More than 80% of the agreement has now been finalized and the two sides plan to sign it in the near future, Badekha said at the ongoing INNOPROM. India industrial fair.

The SJ-100 is a short-range jet capable of carrying up to 103 passengers. UAC previously said production in India could begin in around three years, with output eventually reaching 20-40 aircraft annually.

UAC has also said it expects to sign a contract with the first Indian operator of the SJ-100 at Aero India 2027. The company is offering not only aircraft supplies, but also production localization, maintenance, and after-sales support.