Dassault Aviation of France and the Anil Ambani-led Reliance Infrastructure Ltd’s subsidiary, Reliance Aerostructure Limited (RAL), jointly issued a press release on Wednesday announcing a deal to manufacture Falcon 2000 LXS business executive jets in India for the global market.

“This is for the first time that Dassault Aviation will manufacture Falcon 2000 jets outside France, positioning India as a strategic global aviation hub. This is an epic moment for India as it joins the elite club of countries manufacturing next-generation business jets after the United States, France, Canada and Brazil. Dassault Aviation and Reliance Aerostructure (DRAL) located in Nagpur will become the Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Dassault Aviation’s Falcon series, including Falcon 6X and Falcon 8X programs, the first such CoE outside France,” the release stated.

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The joint venture between Dassault Aviation and Reliance Aerostructure (DRAL) was established in 2017 and operations commenced with the setting up of a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at the Multi Modal international Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN) later that year. Since delivering its first Falcon 2000 front section in 2019, DRAL has assembled over 100 major subsections for the Falcon 2000, underscoring its world-class precision manufacturing capabilities and playing an integral role in Falcon global production programme.

“This new agreement, which will make DRAL the first centre of excellence (CoE) 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. It marks the ramp-up of DRAL, in line with the strategic vision shared with our partner Reliance, which led to its creation in 2017 and is a testament to our unwavering belief in our future in India and serving India,” Dassault Aviation Chairman & CEO Eric Trappier said.

“This collaboration reflects our commitment to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self Reliant India)’ and ‘Make in India for the World’. Our partnership with Dassault Aviation for manufacturing Falcon Business Jets in India is a defining moment for the country, aviation industry and the Reliance Group. This will help position India as a key force in the global aerospace value chain,” Reliance Group Founder Chairman Anil D Ambani said.

The transfer of full fuselage and wing assembly operations combined with major facility upgrades, will pave the way for the first flight of the ‘Made In India’ Falcon 2000 from the DRAL facility at the Multi Modal international Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur (MIHAN), by 2028. The partnership represents a significant step in advancing India’s aerospace manufacturing capabilities, while strategically integrating into the global aviation supply chain, the release stated.

It will be for the first time in the storied history of Dassault Aviation, that it will manufacture Falcon 2000 jets outside France. Dassault will also transfer the assembly of the front section of Falcon 8X and Falcon 6X, in addition to the wings and complete fuselage assembly of the Falcon 2000 to DRAL, the release stated.

This landmark initiative will see India emerge as a strategic centre for high-end business jet manufacturing, underscoring the nation’s growing prominence in the global aerospace ecosystem. The new final assembly line will cater to rising demand in India and other international markets, the release stated.

DRAL is expected to recruit several hundred engineers and technicians over the next decade to support its expanding operations. This growth underscores Dassault Aviation’s deep commitment to strengthening India’s aerospace manufacturing ecosystem and advancing the nation’s emergence as a global centre of excellence (CoE) for high-precision aircraft manufacturing, the release stated.