Made-in-India Falcon 2000 Jets by 2028 in Dassault-Reliance JV

• Dassault and Reliance will produce Falcon 2000 jets in Nagpur, with the first made-in-India jet by 2028.
• Assembly of Falcon 2000, 8X, and 6X parts will shift to their joint venture, DRAL.
• The project supports India’s aerospace ambitions and will create hundreds of jobs.

French aero maker Dassault Aviation will manufacture its best-selling business jet, the Falcon 2000, in Nagpur in a significant win for India’s aerospace manufacturing ecosystem. Specifically the business jet will be produced in partnership with Reliance Aerostructure Ltd (RAL), part of Reliance Industry Group controlled by businessman Anil Ambani.

The companies made this strategic partnership announcement at the Paris Air Show, and the first made-in-India Falcon 2000 is expected to be rolled out by the year 2028. This represent the first time that a foreign-based aircraft manufacturer will establish a final assembly line (FAL) for civilian aircraft in India.

As part of the partnership, the FAL, which will be built at Mihan, Nagpur - where Dassault Reliance Aerospace Ltd (DRAL) already produces the various sections of Falcon 2000 - can produce a maximum of 24 jets per year. DRAL has supplied the production of over 100 major subsections of the Falcon 2000 since 2019.

With the Falcon 2000, Dassault will also hand over the assembly of the front part of the Falcon 8X and Falcon 6X, front section, as well as the wings and the complete fuselage of the Falcon 2000, to DRAL. The partners intend to make substantial upgrades to the facility to enable the first flight of the made-in-India Falcon 2000 by 2028.

Also Read: UP Launches Scheme to Boost Medical Device Manufacturing Hub

Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation said, "This new agreement, which will make DRAL the first centre of excellence for Falcon assembly outside France and which will eventually enable the establishment of a final assembly line for the Falcon 2000, illustrates, once again, our firm intent to meet our 'Make in India' commitments, and to contribute to the recognition of India as a major partner in the global aerospace supply chain".

The announcement follows only weeks after Dassault and Tata Advanced Systems disclosed plans to produce Rafale fighter fuselages in Hyderabad. Dassault's long association with India continues with the Indian Air Force having previously flown the Mirage 2000 and now the Rafale jets.

"Our partnership with Dassault Aviation represents a landmark in Reliance Group’s journey, as we work together to firmly position India as a vital hub in the global aerospace value chain", added Anil Ambani, Reliance Group Chairman.

India has the world's fastest-growing civil aviation market and is closely aligned to, and positioning itself as, a global aerospace manufacturing hub. DRAL expects to hire many hundreds of engineers and technicians over the next ten years, further reinforcing Dassault's long-term strategic commitment to India's aviation sector.