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Govt revives three-decade-old plan to build India's first passenger jet

Govt revives three-decade-old plan to build India's first passenger jet

In last couple of years, India has revived many defense deals with its aggressive negotiations with manufacturing countries. Not only Saras, India is also reviving a plan to make light helicopters in India. The plan was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2015.

In an attempt to boost air links in remote areas of the country, the government is reviving a three-decade-old plan to build its first passenger aircraft. A 14-seat aircraft, called Saras, is undergoing preliminary tests, Bloomberg reported.

According to the report, Saras program was conceived about 29 years ago.

The report quoted the director of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research at state-controlled National Aerospace Laboratories Jitendra Jadhav who said that India's air force needs to test the aircraft before certifications and sale to commercial airlines.

Air Force has committed to purchase 15 of the Saras planes. The process of getting full certification could take as long as three years, Jadhav said.

The development of Saras plane suffered a setback in 2009 when a test flight ended in a fiery crash, killing all three crew on board.

"India may need a few hundred small planes that can carry less than 30 people over the next five to seven years for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to succeed in his plan to boost air links in remote areas of the country," Bloomberg quoted Sydney-based CAPA Centre for Aviation as saying.

In last couple of years, India has revived many defense deals with its aggressive negotiations with manufacturing countries. Not only Saras, India is also reviving a plan to make light helicopters in India. The plan was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2015.

Last year, the Modi government announced its most ambitious regional connectivity scheme UDAN (Udey Desh Ka Aam Nagrik). Under this scheme, the aam aadmi can look forward to fly at fares as low as Rs 2,500.

Besides capping ticket prices, the scheme also seeks to provide air services between unserved and under-served areas and is part of larger plans to boost the domestic aviation sector.


Published on: Feb 16, 2017, 5:35 PM IST
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