The aircraft project was known as SARAS at the state owned National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL) in Bengaluru. The project had run through a decade of hard work with the development of a prototype that was meant to produce a 14-seater aircraft for civilian market in India. A huge amount of money was spent during the period. The project was, however, shelved abruptly in 2009 following a crash that killed three test pilots.

It is a matter of some comfort that the present NDA government has decided to revive the project after a gap of eight years. Saras, the light transport aircraft project, has been handed over to the Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment of the Indian Air Force and the NAL is hopeful of having the first flight soon.

The new version of Saras can have upto 19 seats though the original design was for 14 seats only. The Modi government is rightly credited with the view the regional connectivity scheme (RCS) will get a major boost once Saras is manufactured in the country. Presently, all aircraft, light or heavy, are imported at huge cost. Apart from use by regional carriers, Saras is also expected to be useful for IAF, state governments, PSUs and others.

The Saras project has been revived with funds from the union science and technology ministry. “We have taken up the Saras programme quite aggressively. In fact, in future we would want to convert it into a 19 seater aircraft. A new prototype has been developed with all modifications done after obtaining feeback”, union minister for sience and technology Harsh Vardhan has been quoted as saying at the ongoing Aero India 2017 in Bengaluru.

If the project is pursued earnestly, it will bring about a big change in the civil aircraft market in this part of the world. Knowledgeable sources say the renewed development of Saras will be a precursor to a 70 seater aircraft involving National Aerospace Laboratories and Hindustan Aeronautics Limied (HAL) under the ministry of defence.

If India can produce a reliable 70 seater passenger aircraft, it will create a big demand in the neighbourhood. Barring Japan and China, all other countries in East and South Asia import passenger aircraft of this category from US, Europe and Canada. India can be a big competitor in course of time. Already companies like Boeing and Airbus Industrie have a footprint in India by collaborating with indian companies for manufacturing aircraft parts.

Indeed, Saras project could have produced the desired result by now had the original project not been shelved in 2009. The accident killing three test pilots was unfortunate. But such accidents have happened elsewhere too. World renowned companies like Boeing and Airbus Industrie too had their share of accidents.

Projects with long gestation periods like Saras cannot be given up abruptly. Primarily, it is for the government to ensure that continuity remains for such ventures irrespective of regime change. When P.V.Narasimha Rao gave go ahead to the Saras project, he had just announced the “open sky” policy under the liberalization scheme. He aimed at manufacturing small aircraft for use within India. His successors paid little attention to the project.

What is needed is a long-term policy for such ventures insulated from political pitfalls. A regime change should not affect such projects. Unfortunately, there is strong import lobby in the country which believes in buying things from outside. These are vested interests who always work to stymie indigenous initiatives for their own selfish ends. Such elements are present among politicians and bureaucracy. The need is to to expose them.

One only hopes that the renewed Saras project keeps alive till the objectives are met. There is limitless possibilities of growth in the aviation sector. The Government’s regional connectivity scheme will get a big boost if Saras succeeds.(IPA Service)