The Kremlin Has Decided To Sell India Aircraft That Are Unsuitable For Its Climate

At the same time, potential buyers seem quite suspicious.

Russia has announced major agreements to supply India with 85 Il-114-300 passenger aircraft, which, in reality, cannot be fully operated under the country's climatic conditions. This was reported by the publication Defense Express.

Russia’s “United Aircraft Corporation” announced the agreements following the “Innoprom” exhibition, which took place September 6–9 in Yekaterinburg. In Russia, they were presented as a “significant success” for the aircraft manufacturing industry. However, as the publication notes, the actual content of the documents differs significantly from the high-profile statements about the sale of 85 aircraft.

Specifically, only a memorandum of understanding was signed with India’s Pinnacle Air, under which the company has yet to actually sign contracts for 50 Il-114-300s. The remaining 35 aircraft are mentioned in a memorandum of understanding with Sleek Aviation. In other words, there are no firm contracts for the delivery of the aircraft yet.

At the same time, the potential buyers appear quite suspicious. For example, according to its website, Pinnacle Air has only about 30 employees and operates charter flights, specifically offering flights on Gulfstream G200 business jets and Beechcraft King Air propeller aircraft. Sleek Aviation, for its part, does not even have its own website, any aircraft registered in its name, or any notable operations. The company was founded in 2018.

“Thus, the likelihood that Pinnacle Air and Sleek Aviation could actually order 50 and 35 Il-114-300s, respectively, seems highly doubtful,” notes Defense Express, pointing out that this involves a batch of aircraft that will cost billions of dollars.

Questions also arise regarding Russia’s ability to fulfill such an order. The first production-model Il-114-300 is not expected in Russia until late 2026—a three-year delay. And it will obviously take years to ramp up large-scale production.

But the most interesting part of this story isn’t even that. Analysts have pointed out that the Il-114-300 is, in fact, completely unsuitable for the Indian climate.

In June, the Russian Air Transport Agency issued a certificate according to which this aircraft is currently authorized for operation at temperatures ranging from -9 to +25 degrees Celsius and at airports at altitudes of no more than 1,000 meters above sea level. Flights are also prohibited in icing and thunderstorm conditions.

For India, these parameters are particularly problematic. In the south of the country, even in winter, the average daily temperature does not drop below +25 °C, and in Delhi, daytime highs can reach +25–32 °C throughout the year. In other words, this aircraft cannot be operated at all across half of India’s territory, and in the remaining areas—only at night and in the absence of thunderstorms, which are common in a tropical climate.

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