 In January 2016 it was announced that the India's HAL would no longer be involved in the project and that Russia would proceed with the project alone.In October 2009, former Indian Defence Minister A. K. Antony made an official visit to Russia, during which the two countries formally incorporated the joint venture.The governments of Russia and India agreed to produce the aircraft for their respective armed forces and for friendly third-party countries, and to develop a civilian variant of the MTA in the form of a 100-seater passenger airplane, for which Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) – owned by the Indian government – will be the lead partner and principal integrator.