Indigenous manufacturing takes centre stage at Wings India 2026, Hyderabad firm puts regional aircraft on show

As visitors walked through the static display at Wings India 2026, their gaze moved instinctively along a familiar line-up of commercial aircraft bearing the liveries of Indian and international airlines, manufactured by global giants such as Boeing and Airbus. Amid these familiar metallic whites and blues, an aircraft prompted a second look. Parked confidently among the fleet was the IL-114-300, a regional turboprop that embodied the exhibition’s strongest message this year, that aircraft manufacturing in India is no longer a distant ambition.

Indigenous manufacturing emerged as a defining theme of the biennial aviation show, visible not only in policy discussions and exhibition halls, but on the tarmac itself. The presence of the 68-seater IL-114-300 in the static display drew sustained attention from airline executives, component suppliers and aviation professionals, many of whom stepped inside to examine what could soon become a familiar sight at regional airports across the country.

The Suryakiran Aerobatic Team of the Indian Air Force (IAF) performs flying display at at Wings India 2026 at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad on Thursday , January 29, 2026.
| Photo Credit:
SIDDHANT THAKUR

The aircraft, developed by United Aircraft Corporation (UAC), is at the centre of a phased manufacturing programme that will see India move steadily up the aircraft production value chain. Hyderabad-based Flamingo Aerospace Private Limited has signed a purchase agreement with UAC for six IL-114-300 aircraft, with deliveries planned by 2028.

Founder & CEO of Flamingo Aerospace Subhakar Pappula on board Russian United Aircraft Corporation’s (UAC) Ilyushin IL-114-300 on static display at Wings India 2026 at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad on Thursday.
| Photo Credit:
SIDDHANT THAKUR

“This is a phased aircraft programme. In the first stage, a green aircraft, the bare airframe without interiors, will be procured from UAC and completely assembled in India. The entire interiors, seats, cabin storage, lavatories, will be fitted here before induction into airline fleets,” said Subhakar Pappula, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Flamingo Aerospace.

Standing beneath the wing, painted in a deep blue that contrasted sharply with the grey tarmac, Pappula described the project as a deliberate step towards building domestic capability rather than a one-off procurement. The programme will move next into maintenance, repair and overhaul operations (MRO), followed eventually by a complete assembly line in India. The long-term objective, he said, is full aircraft manufacturing, creating jobs and strengthening the local aerospace supply chain.

Flamingo Aerospace is currently evaluating multiple locations in southern India to establish the assembly line, a move that would place the company among the first in the country to manufacture a commercial aircraft domestically.

Interest from airlines appears strong. The company has already received orders for six aircraft and is in advanced discussions with regional carriers, including Fly91 and Star Air. According to Pappula, the aircraft’s economics are its strongest selling point. The IL-114-300 offers around 25% lower acquisition costs and nearly 10% lower operating costs, making it well suited for regional routes under the UDAN scheme.

A walk through the cabin revealed a compact but functional design. The cockpit gleamed with newly installed instrumentation, while the passenger cabin featured four-seat rows divided by a narrow but comfortable aisle. The prototype’s grey seats were firm and neatly contoured, offering adequate legroom for short-haul regional flights. The livery combined light and dark shades of blue, with clean lines running along the fuselage and the UAC insignia prominently displayed.

“The idea is to offer Indian airlines an affordable and competitive aircraft that can support regional connectivity,” Pappula said. “We also aim to keep delivery timelines shorter than global competitors.” The first set of IL-114-300 aircraft assembled under the programme are expected to be delivered to Indian airlines in 2028.

The emphasis on domestic manufacturing was echoed across the exhibition. Nearly a third of the stalls showcased Indian aircraft component manufacturers, many of them small and medium enterprises supplying everything from structural parts to interiors. Flamingo Aerospace has partnered with Hyderabad-based Time Tooth Technologies Private Limited for aircraft seating, with similar local partnerships planned for other components.