Dassault and Tata signed a deal to manufacture Rafale fighter fuselage in Hyderabad. For the first time, Rafale parts will be manufactured outside of France.
The French company Dassault Aviation and the Indian company Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) have signed four Production Transfer Agreements to make whole fuselages for the Rafale fighter aircraft in India. This is the first time this structural part has been made outside of France.
(Photo Credits: © Dassault Aviation - V. Almansa)
The facility will be built in Hyderabad and will focus on high-precision manufacturing. The plant will produce critical structural sections, including the lateral shells of the rear fuselage, the rear section, the central fuselage, and the front section.
Tata plans to manufacture the first parts of the fuselage by 2028 and make ready the production line to assemble up to two full fuselages per month.
India promotes the project as it is part of the "Make in India" (Atmanirbhar Bharat) strategy to gain "self-reliance."
It is assumed that the agreement is part of a $7 billion contract signed in April 2025 for 26 Rafal-M naval jets, which are slated to be delivered by 2030.
Author: Özgür Ekşi
