United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) has signed preliminary agreements covering 85 Il-114-300 regional turboprop aircraft with Indian aviation companies, with potential maintenance, training and component localisation forming part of the wider cooperation.
UAC signed a letter of intent (LoI) with Pinnacle Air for 50 Il-114-300 aircraft and a memorandum of understanding with Sleek Aviation covering 35 aircraft. The agreements were signed during the INNOPROM India exhibition in New Delhi.
The aircraft are intended for regional operations in India, including routes serving smaller airports. The Il-114-300 is designed to operate from short runways and airports with limited infrastructure. The aircraft received its type certificate in June 2026, with serial production underway at UAC’s Lukhovitsy Aviation Plant.
For the MRO sector, UAC said delivery schedules, aircraft maintenance terms and requirements for localisation of selected Il-114-300 components will be established through separate agreements with the customers.
UAC also outlined the potential development of an industrial partnership covering aircraft service, maintenance and personnel training in India. The company said this could eventually extend to localisation of Il-114-300 production in the country.
“Today’s signings are the culmination of extensive work that began after the presentation of the Il-114-300 at the Wings of India exhibition in January this year. We saw strong interest in this aircraft from local operators, and today this interest was formalised in agreements. We plan to conclude the first firm contracts by the end of this year. As our cooperation develops, we are prepared to move forward and transition to an industrial partnership for service, maintenance, personnel training, and even localisation of Il-114-300 production in India,” said Vadim Badekha, CEO of UAC.
The proposed cooperation could therefore extend beyond aircraft supply to include local technical support, maintenance personnel development and component support. Any specific MRO facilities, maintenance scope or localisation commitments would be subject to separate agreements.
Sleek Aviation’s agreement also includes plans for a training centre with a full-flight simulator, adding a pilot and technical training element to the proposed programme.
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The Il-114-300 is powered by the TV7-117ST-01 turboprop engine produced by Rostec’s United Engine Corporation and uses Russian-produced avionics and other components. The aircraft is designed for passenger operations as well as potential cargo, mail, medical, and rescue missions.
The agreements are not yet firm aircraft orders. UAC said it expects to conclude the first firm contracts by the end of 2026.
