Omkam Aviation has signed a historic deal with Russia's UAC for 50 IL-114-300 aircraft, which includes setting up an assembly line in India.
Under this agreement, there is a plan to purchase 50 Russian IL-114-300 aircraft and establish their local assembly line in India, which could change the face of regional air travel.
This agreement is not just limited to importing aircraft; it will give rise to a large manufacturing ecosystem under the 'Make in India' initiative.
This Letter of Intent (LOI) between Omkam Aviation and UAC is a milestone for the Indian aviation industry. It will be the first time that Russian aerospace technology will be transferred and localized in India on such a large scale.
This ambitious project will be implemented in phases, with the ultimate goal of 100% domestic manufacturing.
Mr. Piyush Kumar Agarwal, Managing Director of Omkam Aviation, stated that the venture is based on a full Transfer of Technology (ToT). He detailed the plan as follows:
This initiative will prove to be a game-changer, especially for India's small and medium-sized cities where air connectivity is still a challenge.
The IL-114-300 is a twin-engine turboprop aircraft with 66 to 68 seats. It is specially designed for operations at airports with short runways and limited infrastructure.
According to Mr. Aditya Agarwal, Executive Director of Omkam Aviation, this aircraft will be able to connect cities like Meerut, Noida, Agra, and Pune directly to metropolises like Mumbai. This will save passengers' time and reduce dependency on the hub-and-spoke model.
Mr. Govind Gupta, the company's Co-founder and Director, emphasized that this venture realizes Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'. It also provides new depth to the India-Russia strategic partnership.
The project has the full support of the Indian government. Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has confirmed that the ministry is committed to fast-tracking this process as it meets India's regional connectivity needs.
The significance of this deal can be gauged from the fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin personally visited the UAC booth at 'Inoprom' and inspected the IL-114-300 aircraft. President Putin's personal interest reflects Moscow's strong commitment to this project.
Following recent media reports, Pinnacle Air Pvt. Ltd. has clarified its position. In an official statement, the company said that the LOI for 50 aircraft signed on September 10, 2026, is exclusively between UAC and Omkam Aviation.
Pinnacle Air, which is an associate company of Omkam Aviation, is only interested in leasing these aircraft and is not a direct party to this purchase agreement.
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