"Superjet-100" and MS-21 can become Russian-Indian airliners

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Caught under the tight hood of Western sanctions, Russia is accelerating its turn to the East that began in 2014. However, it is quite reasonable not to bet on China alone, which can abuse its exclusive position. As a leading partner in the Southeast Asian market, Moscow sees India as its direct competitor, and even rival, on a par with China.

U-turn to India


A few days ago it became known that Russia is ready to share with Indian partners technology production of the main battle tank of the fourth generation "Armata". Also during the Aero India 2023 exhibition, Deputy Director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSVTS) of the Russian Federation Vladimir Drozhzhov announced plans to participate in a tender for the supply of new fighters to New Delhi. And the day before, the head of the KLA, Slyusar, said that the possibility of transferring the production of the Sukhoi Superjet-100, MS-21 and Il-114 civil airliners to India is being seriously discussed.



Regarding the prospects of our long-suffering "Superjet" in the Indian market, the head of the Russian corporation spoke as follows:

A 100-seat aircraft is in demand here primarily for domestic transportation, the country is large, in our opinion, such aircraft will do. Well, we are ready to provide all the necessary assistance both from the technological and technical side, because India is our great friends. We would like this friendship to develop not only in the military sphere, but also in the civil one.

Well, the desire to enter new markets is very commendable. Moscow has built quite pragmatic relations with New Delhi. Indian economy develops dynamically. Just the other day it became known that the national carrier Air India, owned by the Tata family, is purchasing 470 civilian aircraft from Airbus and Boeing. This is a record deal. Note that the Indians did not put all their eggs in one basket: they will purchase 250 aircraft from Airbus and 220 from its main competitor Boeing. Will there be a place in this growing market for the Russian short-haul Il-114 and Suprejet-100 and the medium-haul MS-21?

The question is not entirely clear. On the one hand, there are hassle-free Western-made liners for every budget and taste. However, the events of 2022 showed that if Washington, London and Brussels want to punish the disobedient, the gilded carriage can easily turn into a pumpkin. On the other hand, there are the problematic Russian Superjet-100 and MS-21, which are subject to sanctions, which Moscow itself offers to Indian partners. To diversify its geopolitical risks, New Delhi may well decide to transfer the production of these civilian airliners to India, but obviously on the condition of their complete localization, as has already been voiced by Russian combat aircraft.

In other words, it will be either a licensed production or a joint venture with 100% localization. Will it be beneficial for our country?

Difficulties of localization


In theory, entering a new promising market for troubled aircraft, as well as the opportunity to earn money on the supply of components for them, is a great boon, a real commercial success. But I would like to draw attention to some streamlined language used by the head of the KLA Slyusar, commenting on the Russian initiative:

The Sukhoi Superjet aircraft project, we are considering the possibility of localization and production here (in India). There is already mass production experience here. The so-called import entity of SuperJet International, which is not currently supplied to Russia, India, in this entity, can purchase units with our help and with the supply of our components, establish airframe production here and make a full-fledged Indian aircraft with deliveries to the domestic market and to the markets of friendly countries. I think it's interesting for India. Getting a modern civil aircraft with our help is now a step forward.

“Purchase units with our help” - what exactly should this mean?

Recall that initially our "great white hopes" for the revival of the domestic civil aircraft industry were banal designers from imported components. "Superjet-100" was almost three-quarters foreign, MS-21 - about half. Officials from the aviation industry swear and swear to us that foreign components are about to replace 100% of imports and you can forget about the Soviet Tu-214 and Tu-334 and not even think about it as unnecessary. The question is, if there really was a breakthrough in Russia and import substitution took place, then why not arrange the supply of domestic components for the Superjet and MS-21 to India, making money on this? Question of questions.

And here doubts involuntarily creep in, but is everything as smooth as they report to us? An additional reason for them was given by the CEO of Irkut Corporation Andrey Boginsky, who on the eve of the international aerospace exhibition Aero India 2023 said that Russia was discussing with the Indian side the possibility of manufacturing aircraft components for civil projects in India:

Our task is, together with potential Indian colleagues, to develop a position on how to use this business model in accordance with the Make in India program.

Could it be that it is in India, free from Western sanctions, that it is supposed to place the real production of foreign components missing for the Superjet and MS-21, which will subsequently be used in Russian and Indian-assembled liners?

If this assumption is correct, then these remakes will become Russian-Indian aircraft with all the associated risks for the supply of components. Consequently, the Soviet medium-haul Tu-214 becomes a truly non-alternative national airliner and it's time to seriously think about the renovation of the short-haul Tu-334.
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19 comments
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  1. +1
    16 February 2023 13: 03
    There are a lot of good journalists in Russian journalism, but also a lot of bad journalists. But, according to my observations, only S. Marzhetsky can talk quite professionally on a wide variety of topics. I read constantly.
  2. +6
    16 February 2023 13: 18
    So far, this is a PR bubble.
    Air win....

    All statements are from Russian state officials - "effective managers".
    There is not a word from the Indians themselves about their interest.

    Meanwhile, they have just announced the largest purchase of Western aircraft - 470 units.
    And on a fig then to them our non-existent?

    Moreover, many disrupted projects have accumulated - SU, Il, missiles .... And a number of disagreements with joint Russian-Chinese aviation projects
    IMHO, Indian pros will not fall into the trap.
    1. +3
      16 February 2023 15: 24
      Well, either purchases or localization of production: neither Boeing nor Airbus offer this to the Indians;)
  3. +4
    16 February 2023 13: 26
    They will come up with any excuses why they won’t be able to put into production in 2025 (mantu and slus, agents of the west along with ale and antosha)
  4. +1
    16 February 2023 15: 27
    In principle, as an option for a faster launch into production of the "sanctions-free" SSJ-100 and MS-21, this is a completely suitable option. At the same time, this will help to increase the number of produced liners of these brands. But this does not mean that Tu-214 and 334 should not be dealt with.
    1. +1
      16 February 2023 15: 43
      Well, if the Tu-214, which is now being produced in small batches, is worth attention, then the suffering for the stillborn Tu-334 is already sick, it has never been certified and will not fly anywhere, the lesson from the An-148, the production of which was discontinued due to lack of engines, should be learned.
  5. +5
    16 February 2023 15: 36
    What nonsense! Only the enemy can come up with this! The United States has transferred all production to China and other countries, and now it is turning into a banana republic. "the possibility of transferring the production of the Sukhoi Superjet-100, MS-21 and Il-114 civil airliners to India." - or maybe we’d better move it there with the hands of the drivers, we’re completely tired!
    1. +1
      17 February 2023 08: 57
      and your last sentence deserves attention bully
  6. +4
    16 February 2023 15: 58
    Everything is very difficult here, starting with very specific Indian partners and very specific leaders of our aviation industry, ending with the economic and technological problems of such cooperation in the production of aircraft in general and these types in particular.
  7. +1
    16 February 2023 19: 33
    What is the manifestation of long-suffering?

    long-suffering "Superjet"

    Rather, the "long-suffering" MS-21
    Dry large consignment to Mexico (at a discount) Iran sold, the rest of the domestic market. Market ceiling.
  8. -1
    16 February 2023 20: 12
    The author is right, Tu-334m and Tu-214ms are our present and future drinks
  9. -1
    16 February 2023 22: 12
    I wonder if anyone understood the broken thought that the author stated
  10. +3
    17 February 2023 07: 38
    We are still looking for someone else to lie under. This tactic is doomed to failure. It's a pity, but even here we have complete devastation, primarily in the heads of the leadership.
  11. DVF
    +1
    17 February 2023 07: 43
    Recently, the news showed a Super Jet 100 assembled entirely from domestic components
    1. +3
      17 February 2023 09: 01
      and in the news they show officials, deputies, oligarchs and effective managers who care for their country and people bully
  12. +1
    17 February 2023 11: 58
    Talk less in public, more for business. When Stalin said at the beginning of the war that he needed 200 tanks and the same number of aircraft, this was said with the understanding that this would be done. What minister will disappear for weeks at a factory where missiles are produced? Under fire, valuable equipment was taken to the rear. And then they either sold it or simply destroyed it. Thus, a galaxy of consumers in power was formed. Money was needed so much that Estonia became the first in copper mining. From culture to industry, the complete power of money. Everything is like in Western countries. We are not much different here.
  13. +1
    17 February 2023 13: 37
    Judging by the apupei with the Ka-226, I would not count on the Indians. Painfully, they are fidgety. We need boards for the country. Dot. They need about 600 over the next 10 years. And time has passed a year ago, and only the first localized superjet appeared.
  14. +3
    18 February 2023 03: 27
    Along the way, again, our “effectively defective” miracle top managers messed up by promising mountains of gold. I won’t stop talking - the whole gang of these “top managers” should be sent to the front, and they don’t hope that these bureaucrats will be good, they can only grind with their tongues
  15. 0
    25 February 2023 16: 15
    Once again, we act as a supplicant, confirming our dependence on a partner. In such a situation, we give leadership in negotiations to the opposite side in advance. It is necessary first to arrange the production ourselves, to make sure that everything goes as it should and "childhood illnesses" are eliminated, only then can you offer your product on the international market. Nobody needs a risky project without clear prospects.