Dassault Aviation and Tata Advanced Systems will manufacture Rafale fighter fuselages in India for the first time outside France.
India, the world’s largest arms importer, aims to boost domestic production and defense exports. Defense exports rose 12% to $2.76 billion in the fiscal year ending in March.
Under the agreement, Tata will set up a production facility in Hyderabad. The plant will build key structural components for the Rafale fighter.
The first fuselage sections should roll off the assembly line in fiscal year 2028. The facility will be able to produce up to two complete fuselages each month.
The statement did not specify how much the deal was worth or whether the finished products would be for domestic or export use, but Tata Advanced Systems stated in X that the fuselage would be “for India and other global markets.”
Rafale fighters
The Indian Air Force currently operates 36 Rafale fighters. In April, India signed a deal with France, its second-largest arms supplier, to buy 26 naval versions of the jets for $7 billion, with delivery expected by 2030.
The South Asian nation intends to modernize its military and increase domestic weapon production, particularly to strengthen its defenses against neighboring Pakistan and China.
India used fighter jets in four days of fierce clashes with Pakistan last month, following a deadly attack by Islamist militants in Indian Kashmir that killed 26 people.
Pakistan’s defense minister claimed three of India’s Rafale fighter jets were shot down during the fighting but provided no evidence except for their electronic signatures since debris fell on Indian territory.
A US official confirmed to Reuters that at least one of the downed Indian aircraft was a Rafale. Dassault Aviation has declined to comment on the incident but has not denied that it occurred.
Chief of Defense Staff
In an interview with Reuters last week, India’s chief of defense staff confirmed that the country suffered air losses but declined to provide further details. ($1 equals 85.7970 Indian rupees).
The partnership between Dassault and Tata represents a significant step in India’s ambition to reduce dependence on foreign-made military hardware.
It also reflects increased industrial defense cooperation between New Delhi and Paris. Analysts suggest that the move could pave the way for India to become a key node in the Rafale global supply chain, particularly if export markets continue to expand.
France has successfully sold Rafale jets to nations such as Egypt, Qatar, and Indonesia recently, raising the possibility that Indian-made components could support future international deliveries.
Conclusion
The Hyderabad facility will generate hundreds of skilled jobs and strengthen India’s aerospace ecosystem. Industry sources say Dassault’s standards will require advanced tooling, precision assembly, and strict quality control.
As geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific rise, both France and India have moved to deepen strategic ties, including joint military exercises and technology transfers.
Defense observers say this latest initiative strengthens India’s defense manufacturing credentials while supporting France’s goal of diversifying its industrial footprint.
References
- Reuters—Dassault and Tata to manufacture Rafale fuselages in Hyderabad
- Tata Advanced Systems on X (Twitter)
- Indian Ministry of Defence – Defence Production
- Dassault Aviation – Official Website
- India – France Strategic Partnership – MEA India
- Economic Times—India signs deal for 26 Rafale Marine jets
- Defence News Today
- Pakistan Defence Forum – Facebook Group
