Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Russia's UAC signed an MoU for HAL to produce the Sukhoi SJ-100 in India. Breaking from Russia's "Russified" version, HAL is eyeing the original Franco-Russian SaM146 engine, not the new PD-8. This aims to make the regional jet, supporting the UDAN scheme, more attractive to local carriers wary of unproven technology.