Dassault Aviation And Reliance Form Strategic Partnership For Falcon 2000 Manufacturing In India

Nagpur, Jun 19 (KNN) French military aircraft and business jet manufacturer Dassault Aviation announced a strategic partnership with Reliance Infrastructure subsidiary Reliance Aerostructure Limited on Wednesday to establish manufacturing operations for Falcon 2000 business jets in India. 

The collaboration will establish a final assembly line in Nagpur, Maharashtra, marking the first time Dassault Aviation will manufacture Falcon 2000 jets outside France.

The partnership aims to produce aircraft for global markets, with the first flight of an Indian-manufactured Falcon 2000 scheduled for 2028. 

The announcement was made during the Paris Air Show, which began on June 16, 2025.

According to the joint press statement, the partnership positions India as a strategic center for high-end business jet manufacturing and enables the country's entry into an exclusive group of nations producing next-generation business jets, joining the United States, France, Canada, and Brazil in this sector.

The joint venture, operating under the name DRAL, will serve as Dassault Aviation's Center of Excellence for the Falcon series, including assembly programs for the Falcon 6X and Falcon 8X models. 

This marks the first such center of excellence established by the French manufacturer outside France.

Under the expanded agreement, Dassault Aviation will transfer assembly operations for the front section of Falcon 8X and Falcon 6X aircraft to DRAL, in addition to wings and complete fuselage assembly for the Falcon 2000. 

Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO, Dassault Aviation, stated that the agreement demonstrates the company's commitment to India's 'Make in India' initiative and recognises India as a major partner in the global aerospace supply chain.

Anil D. Ambani, Founder Chairman, Reliance Group, described the partnership as a landmark development that aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' and the 'Make in India for the World' initiative. 

He emphasised the collaboration's role in establishing India as a vital hub in the global aerospace value chain.

The DRAL joint venture was originally established in 2017, with operations beginning at a manufacturing facility in Mihan, Nagpur, later that year. 

Since delivering its first Falcon 2000 front section in 2019, DRAL has assembled over 100 major sub-sections for the Falcon 2000, playing an integral role in Falcon's global production program.

The expanded operations are expected to create employment opportunities, with DRAL projected to recruit several hundred engineers and technicians over the next decade to support the growing manufacturing activities in Nagpur.

(KNN Bureau)