India to Manufacture Rafale Fighter Jet Components: Dassault-Tata Deal

Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of the Rafale fighter jet, has finalised a major deal with the Tata Group. The body of the Rafale fighter jet will now be manufactured in India.

Rafale Manufacture in India: Dassault Aviation, the manufacturer of the French fighter jet Rafale, has finalised a major deal with the Tata Group. Dassault will now collaborate with the Tata Group to manufacture the fighter jet’s body in India. Dassault Aviation has signed four production transfer agreements with Tata Advanced Systems Limited for the manufacture of Rafale fighter jet body parts in India. This agreement will strengthen India’s aerospace manufacturing and is a significant step towards a global supply chain. It is considered a crucial step towards the manufacture of military aircraft in India.

Components to be Manufactured in India

Key components of the Rafale will be manufactured in India. Tata Group’s company, under a joint venture, will manufacture the aircraft’s fuselage, the entire rear section of the jet, the central fuselage, and the front section of the jet. According to the information, the first Rafale jet fuselage will roll off the assembly line by 2028 under this production plant. Once the factory is fully operational, two fuselages will be produced every month.

First Time Rafale Fuselage to be Manufactured Outside France

Following the deal, Éric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, stated that for the first time, the Rafale fuselage will be produced outside France. He said this is a decisive step towards strengthening their supply chain in India. The CEO of Dassault thanked TASL (Tata Advanced Systems Limited).

Significant Step for Indian Aerospace

Sukaran Singh, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of TASL, stated that this partnership is a significant step for Indian aerospace. He said that the manufacture of the complete Rafale fuselage in the country reflects the growing trust in TASL’s Tata Advanced Systems capabilities and the strength of our collaboration with Dassault Aviation. This is remarkable progress towards India establishing a robust aerospace manufacturing ecosystem. The signing of this agreement demonstrates Dassault Aviation’s strong commitment to India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative and its drive towards self-reliance in the defence sector.

Approval for Purchase of 26 Rafale Aircraft

India and France have signed an inter-governmental agreement for the purchase of 26 Rafale aircraft for the Indian Navy (भारतीय नौसेना). Manufactured by France’s Dassault Aviation, the Rafale-Marine is a fighter jet capable of fully operating in maritime areas. Delivery of these aircraft will be completed by 2030. Earlier, the Indian Air Force (भारतीय वायुसेना) had also inducted Rafale fighter jets into its fleet. The Indian Air Force has two squadrons of Rafale aircraft, stationed in Ambala (Haryana) and Hashimara (West Bengal).