India wants more passenger jets. Can it also build them?

The prospect drew attention in October, when India and Russia signed an initial agreement in Moscow to manufacture the SJ-100 passenger plane in India, raising hopes for domestic aircraft production. The SJ-100 is a twin-engine aircraft that can carry up to 103 passengers and is already in service with several Russian airlines, according to its manufacturer, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC). In the 1980s, India partnered with German firm Dornier to produce a 19-seat passenger jet, some of which still serve the military and limited civil routes.