India defies sanctions and builds SSJ-100 jet with Russia

In the midst of the debate about extending sanctions against Russia to India, companies from both countries agree to jointly build a passenger jet.

US President Donald Trump recently exerted intense pressure on India . His wish was for the country to stop importing oil from Russia . Despite discussions about expanding trade restrictions, the Indian aircraft manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and the Russian aerospace and defense company UAC have agreed to jointly build Superjet SSJ-100 passenger aircraft.

The aircraft, which will primarily be used for domestic flights, will be built entirely in India, Indian media reported. HAL stated that the agreement is an expression of "mutual trust." Both companies had already cooperated on the construction of the Russian AVRO HS-748 turboprop aircraft.

The Sukhoi Superjet 100 – or SSJ-100 for short – was designed starting in 2000. It was the first civil aircraft from the company, which focuses on military jets. The twin-engine jet was planned expressly for the Western market. However, following the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Western sanctions thwarted these plans. Western partners withdrew from the project. Russia is now producing the aircraft itself. Now, its Indian partner, HAL, is joining the project.

In a statement, HAL spoke of "a new chapter in the Indian aviation industry."