Anil Ambani-led Reliance Infrastructure’s subsidiary Reliance Aerostructure (RAL) has forged a partnership with French military aircraft maker Dassault Aviation to manufacture Falcon 2000 business jets. In a 51:49 joint venture, both companies have announced that the jets will be produced in India for international markets. The development was announced by the two companies at the Paris Air Show on June 18, the Business Standard reported. This comes at a time when the Anil Ambani-led company is making huge bets on defence manufacturing in the country.
“The ‘Made in India’ Falcon 2000 will stand as a proud symbol of the nation’s technological prowess and manufacturing excellence. We strive to firm position India as a vital hub in the global aerospace value chain,” said Anil Ambani in a statement.
The first batch of Falcon 2000 business jets is expected to be rolled out from RAL’s Nagpur factory in 2028. The development is big because this will be the first time in the history of the French military aircraft manufacturer that a Falcon aircraft will be completely made outside France.
“This new agreement is 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,” chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, Eric Trappier, reportedly said.
Apart from this, the two companies already manufactured parts of the jets, including cockpit and structural componentss, under Dassault Reliance Aviation (DRAL). The 2017-established DRAL will eventually house a center of excellence for the Falcon series, including the Falcon 6X and Falcon 8X.
