SOURCE: IDRW.ORG
The recent strides made by Russia and China in developing their own civilian aircraft highlight a critical gap in India’s aviation strategy. As of April 17, 2025, India’s booming aviation sector, projected to need 2,200 new aircraft by 2040, remains heavily reliant on foreign giants Boeing and Airbus. This dependency mirrors the challenges faced by Russia and China, prompting both nations to pursue self-reliance in aircraft manufacturing.
For India, the need to develop its own Regional Transport Aircraft (RTA-90) in both turboprop and turbofan variants is urgent, not only to meet domestic short-haul flight demands but also to curb the market dominance of Western manufacturers.
Russia’s aviation industry has faced a stark reality since Western sanctions following the Ukraine conflict in 2022. With over 80% of its civilian fleet comprising Boeing and Airbus aircraft, Russia’s grounding of 824 leased planes forced a pivot to Soviet-era designs like the Ilyushin Il-96 and Tupolev Tu-204. Despite efforts to revive production, the lack of Western components—once comprising 60-80% of aircraft like the Sukhoi Superjet—has stalled progress, with no new passenger jets delivered since 2022. This vulnerability underscores the risks of relying on foreign supply chains, a lesson India must heed as it navigates its own geopolitical tensions.
China, meanwhile, has taken a more successful approach with the Comac C919, which completed its first international flight in January 2025. Backed by $49-72 billion in state support, the C919 targets the narrow-body market dominated by the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737, securing over 1,000 orders . Although reliant on Western components like GE and Safran engines, China’s investment has positioned it as a contender, challenging the Boeing-Airbus duopoly. India, with its rapidly growing aviation market—150 million domestic passengers in 2023 and a projected doubling by 2030—faces a similar opportunity but lacks a comparable indigenous effort .
India’s aviation sector is constrained by its dependence on imported aircraft, with regional airlines relying on foreign turboprops like the ATR series for short-haul routes . The government’s UDAN scheme, aiming to connect Tier-II cities with affordable flights, highlights the demand for aircraft optimized for short runways and low operating costs—needs unmet by large Boeing and Airbus jets . Developing the RTA-90, a 90-seat aircraft proposed by the National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), addresses this gap, offering a homegrown solution tailored to India’s 300-500 km regional routes .
Moreover, India’s strategic autonomy is at stake. Sanctions on Russia demonstrate how geopolitical shifts can disrupt aircraft operations, a risk India cannot ignore given its border tensions with China. An indigenous aircraft reduces reliance on foreign spares and maintenance, a vulnerability exposed when Russia resorted to cannibalizing planes . With NAL estimating a $2 billion development cost for the RTA-90, upfront investment could yield long-term savings and position India among the elite club of aircraft-manufacturing nations—currently the US, France, and China .
The RTA-90’s dual-variant approach—turboprop for efficiency on short routes and turbofan for higher performance—offers strategic flexibility. The turboprop variant, with a cruise speed of 550 km/h and a 1,500 km range, is ideal for UDAN routes, boasting 25% lower acquisition and operating costs than competitors like ATR . The turbofan variant, potentially powered by a future indigenous engine like Kaveri 2.0, could serve longer regional hops and compete with the Comac C919, challenging Boeing and Airbus on cost and adaptability .
This dual strategy counters the market control of Boeing and Airbus, who dominate with models like the 737 and A320, holding 60-70% of global orders . China’s C919 and Russia’s MC-21 illustrate how indigenous aircraft can erode this duopoly, with India’s RTA-90 poised to capture the growing Asian market—projected to need 7,690 planes in China and significant demand in India by 2030 . By offering both variants, India can cater to diverse airline needs, from budget carriers like IndiGo to premium operators, reducing reliance on Western imports.
Developing the RTA-90 faces hurdles, including funding shortages—NAL’s $2 billion request remains unapproved—and the lack of an indigenous jet engine . Past projects like the Saras Mk II have struggled due to inadequate support, with HAL abandoning earlier RTA efforts in 2015 . However, the Tata-Airbus C295 project, with its private-sector involvement, offers a model for collaboration, while partnerships with global OEMs like Pratt & Whitney could accelerate engine development .
The opportunity lies in export potential. A successful RTA-90 could target Southeast Asia and Africa, where short-haul demand is rising, mirroring China’s C919 strategy [Web ID: 0]. With India’s aerospace sector already manufacturing components for Boeing and Airbus, scaling up to full aircraft production is feasible, provided the government backs the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) proposed for the project .
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