The national carrier of Pakistan may purchase Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ-100) planes, according to Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov, who is currently in Islamabad on an official visit.

“We interact directly with Pakistan Air. We have agreed that in January we will continue working on it, taking into account the fact that we must work out the destination network together with our colleagues. It concerns the possibility of supplying from 6 to 16 aircraft,” Manturov told reporters. Talks will continue next year, he said.

Pakistani officials said last week the planes could be supplied on both wet and dry lease with an option to purchase.

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Sukhoi SuperJet 100 is Russia’s newest twin-engine regional passenger aircraft. It began operating commercially in 2011. The range of the base version is 4,400km with the capacity to seat 98 passengers. The aircraft is in service with airlines in Laos, Mexico, Ireland, and Russia. The jet’s largest operator in Russia is Aeroflot.

Moscow and Islamabad signed their largest-ever cooperation deal this week, worth billions of dollars, to expand trade and business ties. The deal includes huge investments in energy, rail and steel industries.

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