NEW DELHI, August 7. /TASS/. Russia’s Industry and Trade Ministry expects to secure a firm contract with India for the supply of Il-114-300 and SJ-100 aircraft within a year, Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Alexey Gruzdev told TASS following the BRICS ministerial meeting in Jaipur.

"We have set a goal to finalize a firm contract with India for the delivery of Il-114-300 and SJ-100 aircraft within the next year," Gruzdev said.

According to the deputy minister, New Delhi is also showing interest in the potential localization of aircraft assembly.

"During our discussions on the matter, our Indian colleagues noted that they possess large-scale manufacturing facilities and would like to establish local production if the project advances. We are not ruling anything out, but first, we need to define the exact scope and volume of production. This will be the focus of the next stage of negotiations," Gruzdev added.

He stressed that securing initial agreements remains the top priority.

"We expect to finalize the first contract for the Superjet and Il-114 within a year. There are many potential customers in India. Our goal is to present Russian aircraft, and further decisions will depend on market demand and order volumes," Gruzdev said.

According to him, Russia intends to promote its entire lineup of modern civilian aircraft in foreign markets, including the advanced MS-21. "Our strategy is to promote all modern Russian aircraft for export. First and foremost, we must satisfy domestic demand and replace Western-made fleets. However, if we do not promote these models abroad today--even those still undergoing certification--they may lose some of their competitive edge on the international market by the time the domestic market is saturated," the deputy minister explained.

He added that the Russian delegation is already presenting the capabilities of the MC-21 to its Indian counterparts.

"We are highlighting the MC-21 and introducing our partners to this model. Discussions are underway across the entire family of modern Russian aircraft," Gruzdev concluded.

The SJ-100 is a Russian short-haul, narrow-body airliner. It is an upgraded version of the Sukhoi Superjet 100, designed with maximum import substitution of components.