Indigenous Saras Mk II flight tests scheduled for late 2027-28
CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL) has scheduled flight tests of the redesigned Saras Mk II for late 2027-28, with the maiden test flight targeted around December 2027
The Indian Air Force will be the first launch customer, having issued a Letter of Intent (LOI) for fifteen aircraft, contingent on successful completion of trials
The aircraft's design phase is complete, incorporating a pressurised cabin, glass cockpit, autopilot, and command-by-wire flight controls
CSIR-NAL is now focused on building prototypes and securing production partners for full-scale assembly
Saras Mk II is a 19-seat multi-role light transport aircraft, an evolved successor to the earlier Saras Mk I programme
Saras Programme History — From Mk I to Mk II
The Saras programme began in 1991 as a collaboration with Russia's Myasishchev design bureau, which later withdrew due to funding difficulties; the project also faced setbacks from US sanctions imposed after India's 1998 Pokhran nuclear tests. Saras Mk I made its first flight on 29 May 2004. The programme suffered a major setback on 6 March 2009 when the second Saras Mk I prototype crashed near Bidadi, Bengaluru, killing two IAF test pilots and a flight test engineer; a court of inquiry attributed the crash to incorrect engine-relight drills given to the crew. The programme was subsequently shelved and later revived in a redesigned Mk II configuration.
Key Details
- Project sanctioned: 24 September 1999; original target maiden flight March 2001; actual maiden flight (Mk I) May 2004
- 2009 crash: killed Wing Commander Praveen Kotekoppa, Wing Commander Dipesh Shah, and Squadron Leader Ilayaraja; root cause traced to faulty engine-relight procedure
- Programme shelved post-crash before being revived as the redesigned Saras Mk II
- Developing agency: CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), Bengaluru, under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
The Mk II flight-test timeline announced now represents the programme's second attempt at certification and induction, nearly two decades after the original Mk I crash halted development — a recurring exam theme on India's indigenous aircraft development challenges.
Indigenous Aircraft Development and Defence Procurement Categories
India's defence and civil aircraft indigenisation efforts span multiple agencies: HAL (military aircraft such as Tejas, Dhruv), CSIR-NAL (Saras, and design inputs to regional aircraft programmes), and DRDO (various platforms). Defence acquisition follows a Letter of Intent/interest from the end-user (here, the IAF), which is distinct from a firm procurement contract; a firm order typically follows successful trials and is routed through the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) and, for high-value acquisitions, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), under categories such as Buy (Indian), Buy & Make, or Make.
Key Details
- A Letter of Intent (LOI) signals customer interest and provisional demand (here, 15 aircraft) but is not a binding purchase order
- Firm acquisition typically proceeds only after successful certification/trials, via DAC approval and, where required, CCS clearance
- CSIR-NAL is a government (CSIR) laboratory, distinct from HAL, which is India's primary defence aircraft manufacturer and would likely be involved in eventual production/assembly
The IAF's LOI for 15 Saras Mk II aircraft is a preliminary demand signal, not a confirmed order — actual procurement will depend on the aircraft clearing certification and flight trials from 2027-28 onward.
Regional/Feeder Aircraft Category and Regional Connectivity
Saras Mk II falls in the 19-seat light transport aircraft category, the same class used for short-haul feeder routes under India's Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS-UDAN), launched in October 2016 to connect unserved and underserved airports. Aircraft such as the 19-seat Twin Otter currently operate such routes; an indigenous 19-seater like Saras Mk II could reduce dependence on imported aircraft for regional and feeder connectivity, as well as serve military light-transport and medevac roles.
Key Details
- RCS-UDAN launched: 21 October 2016; first RCS flight (Shimla-Delhi) operationalised 27 April 2017
- UDAN aircraft categories range from 9-seat to 78-seat, with 19-seaters (like the Twin Otter) serving the smallest unserved routes
- Saras Mk II specifications: 19-seat, pressurised cabin, glass cockpit, autopilot, command-by-wire controls
- Dual-use potential: civil regional connectivity and military light-transport/utility roles for the IAF
An indigenously certified 19-seat aircraft would directly serve the regional/feeder aircraft segment that UDAN relies on, in addition to meeting the IAF's stated light-transport requirement, linking the programme to both the Atmanirbhar Bharat defence-indigenisation push and civil aviation connectivity goals.
- Saras Mk II: 19-seat multi-role light transport aircraft developed by CSIR-NAL
- Target maiden flight test: around December 2027; broader test schedule late 2027-28
- IAF Letter of Intent: 15 aircraft (first launch customer)
- Saras Mk I maiden flight: 29 May 2004; project sanctioned 24 September 1999
- 2009 crash: 6 March 2009, near Bidadi, Bengaluru; 3 fatalities including 2 IAF test pilots
- New Mk II features: pressurised cabin, glass cockpit, autopilot, command-by-wire flight controls
- RCS-UDAN launched: 21 October 2016; first flight operationalised 27 April 2017