The Anil Ambani-led Reliance Infrastructure subsidiary Reliance Aerostructure Limited (RAL) and French aerospace giant Dassault Aviation have signed an agreement to manufacture Falcon 2000 business executive jets in India for the global market. This will be the first time Dassault will manufacture Falcon 2000 jets outside of France.
Dassault Reliance Aerospace (DRAL), a JV set up by the two companies in 2017, will also become the Center of Excellence (CoE) for the Falcon series, including Falcon 6X and Falcon 8X assembly programs for Dassault Aviation, the first such CoE outside France. The state-of-the-art, final assembly line for Falcon 2000 jets will be established in Nagpur, as per the agreement announced on Wednesday at the Paris Air Show.
Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO, Dassault Aviation, said that the agreement 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 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 transfer of assembly operations, combined with major facility upgrades, will pave the way for the first flight of a Made-in-India Falcon 2000 from Indian soil by 2028, the two companies said in a joint statement. Since delivering its first Falcon 2000 front section in 2019, DRAL has assembled over 100 major sub-sections for the aircraft.
Anil Ambani, Founder Chairman, Reliance Group, said, “Our partnership with Dassault Aviation represents a landmark in Reliance Group’s journey, as we work together to firmly position India as a vital hub in the global aerospace value chain…The ‘Made in India’ Falcon 2000 will stand as a proud symbol of the nation’s technological prowess and manufacturing excellence.”
Shares of Reliance Infrastructure rose 5% on Wednesday to settle at Rs 386.50 apiece on the NSE. The stock has rallied 83% in the last one year.