India and Russia kicked off joint production talks for the Il-114-300 regional turboprop aircraft on December 4-5, 2025, during President Vladimir Putin’s state visit for the 23rd Annual Summit in New Delhi. Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov and First Deputy PM Denis Manturov confirmed discussions on assembly alongside the Sukhoi Superjet-100, building on a prior HAL-UAC memorandum, to align with India’s Make in India and UDAN scheme for short-haul connectivity on unpaved runways. From an Indian strategic lens, this bolsters self-reliance in aerospace amid Western sanctions on Russia, enhances regional air links in diverse terrains, and counters China-Pakistan aviation ties, with potential orders exceeding 1,000 units to sustain bilateral defense ties.