French aviation company Dassault Aviation is acquiring land near Jewar International Airport to set up a maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility for India’s Mirage 2000 and Rafale fighters. This move supports the local manufacturing of the latest Rafale versions to meet the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) need for around 100 twin-engine multi-role fighters over the next two decades.
Despite political changes in France, the Emmanuel Macron government and Dassault have committed in writing to manufacture Rafale fighters in India using locally sourced components. This aligns with the “Make in India” initiative. Safran SA, the engine maker, is also setting up an MRO facility in Hyderabad for Rafale engines, which will be ready by 2025. Safran is open to manufacturing M-88 engines in India if the IAF places a Rafale order.
The Rafale fighters will not only fulfill India’s needs but also position India to export these fighters to other countries. Dassault is already sourcing titanium parts from Indian companies and plans to add more local vendors to its supply chain.
With current orders from multiple countries and talks with Saudi Arabia, Dassault’s capacity is fully booked, making India an ideal manufacturing partner. The IAF already operates 36 Rafale fighters, and the Indian Navy is negotiating for 26 more for the INS Vikrant aircraft carrier. India has existing Rafale maintenance facilities at the Ambala air base. A national security planner emphasized, “India cannot delay acquiring advanced multi-role fighters as the Chinese challenge grows daily.”
India’s need for advanced fighters is urgent due to increasing threats from China’s military. The Modi government is confident in France’s stable licensing policy, ensuring no supply issues. Additionally, Safran is ready to partner with an Indian company to produce engines for Indian Multi-Role Helicopters (IMRH).
