India and Russia Deepen Aircraft Manufacturing Ties Amid BRICS Excitement

India and Russia have intensified discussions on aircraft manufacturing, focusing on the IL-114 and Sukhoi Superjet 100 models. The collaboration aligns with India's regional connectivity goals as several new airports emerge. This dialogue unfolds ahead of the BRICS Summit, highlighting India's growing global influence.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu announced on Thursday that India and Russia are strengthening their collaboration on manufacturing aircraft locally, including the turboprop IL-114 and the Sukhoi Superjet 100. Speaking before the BRICS Summit, Naidu elaborated on the discussions with the Russian delegation concerning a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Russian entities.

Naidu emphasized that these aircraft models are ideally suited to enhance India's regional connectivity, which is increasingly important due to the proliferation of newly developed airports. He stated, "With many airports coming up, it's crucial for us to connect them, and these planes are efficient for this purpose. We aim to initiate the manufacturing process in India soon."

In anticipation of the BRICS Summit, Naidu highlighted India's comprehensive preparations, with delegations from diverse sectors and nations set to participate. He noted that the Russian delegation has praised India's transformation and its ascension as a key global partner. The summit, themed "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability," will be hosted in New Delhi on September 12-13.