Dassault is already manufacturing in Nagpur

The Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DARL) is a fully operational aerospace hub in Nagpur. It will require little effort to create a final assembly line.

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Reliance Aerostructure Limited (RAL), a subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure, has established Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL) in Nagpur in partnership with Dassault.

The DRAL facility, located on a 31-acre plot in the Mihan Special Economic Zone (SEZ), began operations in 2017. Initially, the focus was on manufacturing components for the Dassault Falcon business jets, and the facility delivered its first Falcon 2000 front section in 2019.

“Dassault Aviation will manufacture Falcon 2000 jets outside of France for the first time in its storied history. This pioneering initiative will see India emerge as a strategic centre for high-end business jet manufacturing. It marks a historic moment for Indian aerospace and manufacturing industry, as the landmark agreement paves way for India's entry into the elite club of countries producing next-generation business jets, alongside the United States, France, Canada, and Brazil,” the two partners said in a joint release, adding that the made-in-India jets will cater to rising business jet demand in India and international markets. The release did not spell out the capacity of the Falcon 2000 production facility, but sources in the know indicated that it could be up to 24 aircraft a year.

This would be the first-ever instance of a foreign aircraft manufacturer setting up a final assembly line (FAL) in India for civilian aircraft. European aerospace major Airbus, which has a minority stake in Dassault, will be setting up an FAL in India in partnership with the Tata group, but that will be for manufacturing helicopters. Airbus and Tata Advanced Systems already have an FAL in India for the C295 military transport aircraft. The first made-in-India Falcon 2000 jet should be ready by 2028.