
Anil Ambani's Reliance Aerostructure and Dassault to manufacture Falcon 2000 business jets in India
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."
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India Gazette
19 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Reliance Aerostructure, Dassault to manufacture Falcon 2000 jets in India for global market
New Delhi [India], June 18 (ANI): Reliance Infrastructure Ltd subsidiary, Reliance Aerostructure Limited (RAL) and French manufacturer Dassault Aviation have announced an agreement to manufacture Falcon 2000 LXS Business Executive Jets in India for the Global Market. The development is particularly significant since the French manufacturer will be manufacturing Falcon 2000 jets outside France for the time time, an indication of India's increased importance in the global aviation manufacturing. Dassault Aviation, in a press statement, said that this is an epic moment for India as it joins the elite club of countries manufacturing next-generation business jets after the United States, France, Canada and Brazil. DRAL will be the first Centre of Excellence (CoE) outside of France for Dassault Aviation's Falcon series, including the Falcon 6X and Falcon 8X programs. Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO, Dassault Aviation said: 'This new agreement, which will make DRAL the first centre of excellence for Falcon assembly outside France and which will eventually enable the establishment of a final assembly line for the Falcon 2000, illustrates, once again, 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. It 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.' Anil D Ambani, Founder Chairman, Reliance Group said, 'This collaboration reflects our commitment to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat (Self Reliant India)' and 'Make in India for the World'. Our partnership with Dassault Aviation for manufacturing of Falcon Business Jets in India is a defining moment for the country, Aviation Industry and the Reliance Group. This will help position India as a key force in the global aerospace value chain.' The release states that by 2028, the first flight of the 'Made in India' Falcon 2000 will take place from the DRAL Facility at MIHAN, Nagpur in the Western State of Maharashtra, India, following the transfer of full fuselage and wing assembly operations and significant facility enhancements. As part of the agreement, 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. 'This landmark initiative will see India emerge as a strategic center for high-end business jet manufacturing, underscoring the nation's growing prominence in the global aerospace ecosystem. The new final assembly line will cater to rising demand in India and other international markets,' the release added. In 2017, Dassault Aviation and Reliance Aerostructure formed a joint venture called DRAL. Later that year, a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility was established in Mihan, Nagpur, marking the start of operations. DRAL has constructed more than 100 key subsections for the Falcon 2000 since delivering its first Falcon 2000 front section in 2019, demonstrating its superior precision manufacturing skills and contributing significantly to the Falcon global production program. As per the release, DRAL is expected to recruit several hundred engineers and technicians over the next decade to support its expanding operations. 'This growth underscores Dassault Aviation's deep commitment to strengthening India's aerospace manufacturing ecosystem and advancing the nation's emergence as a global center of excellence for high-precision aviation production,' the release added. Dassault Aviation has established a reputation for excellence in the design, manufacture, marketing, and maintenance of all kinds of aircraft, from the Rafale fighter to the premium Falcon family of business jets, military drones, and space systems. Over the past century, the company has delivered over 10,000 military and commercial aircraft, including 2,700 Falcons, in more than 90 countries. Dassault Aviation reported EUR6.2 billion in revenue in 2024. The corporation employs 14,600 people. (ANI)


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Nissan reaffirms commitment to India, plans three new vehicle launches by 2027
Nissan Motor Co has a defined product introduction plan for India , where it intends to continue its operations, global CEO Ivan Espinosa told ET, dispelling speculation that the Japanese automaker could exit the market. 'India is a very important market for Nissan and we're in India to stay,' said Espinosa. 'We have a very clear roadmap of our product portfolio and also the capacity required to produce these vehicles.' Elaborating on the plans, he said, 'In the next 18 to 24 months, we will have a lot of activity of product introduction for India…these vehicles will not only be for India, but they will also be exported to many, many markets around the world.' The top Nissan executive's comments follow partner Renault SA announcing this March the acquisition of the former's 51% stake in a car manufacturing joint venture factory in Tamil Nadu. Post completion of the deal, Renault Nissan Automotive India Pvt Ltd (RNAIPL) will become a wholly owned unit of the French automaker. RNAIPL would eventually evolve into a contract manufacturer for Nissan, producing existing and new models slated for launch in India and for exports. Nissan's decision triggered speculation that the company may exit the Indian market, much like American carmakers Ford and General Motors in the past. Espinosa clarified that Nissan's decision to cut industrial footprint to 10 vehicle plants globally from 17 is part of the company's plan to trim costs, leverage partnerships wherever feasible, and channel investments in mass market products to grow business sustainably and profitably in future. He emphasised that low motorisation rates in India, coupled with strong cost competitiveness and engineering capability offer a lot of potential to grow Nissan's business in the country. To be sure, the Tokyo-headquartered automaker has faced limited success in its stint in India. It sold only 27,881 units in India's 4.3-million unit passenger vehicle market last fiscal year, due to sparse product offerings. The company however ranks among India's top car exporters, shipping 71,334 vehicles in FY25. Espinosa however expressed confidence that Nissan Motor India would turnaround its business, backed by the launch of three new vehicles in the next 18-24 months. This will comprise a multipurpose vehicle, a five-seater SUV, and a seven-seater SUV. Nissan currently sells the locally-produced Magnite compact SUV in India, besides importing the X-Trail SUV model. Espinosa explained that the new vehicles—positioned at the heart of the market in the country's fast-growing utility vehicle segment— will give the company's dealer partners 'a lot of opportunities for business' and also help cover many requirements of customers in India. 'We will have a much broader range that will help us cover the market in a more intelligent, smart way,' he said. Nissan aims to nearly its grow its sales in India nearly threefold to 100,000 vehicles annually once the new SUVs are rolled out, by 2027-end. An additional 100,000 vehicles will be exported. 'The scale of what we're doing is relatively big. This is why India is such an important thing for Nissan, and this is why we're determined to stay and to keep working with the assets that we have built in India, not only for the domestic operations, but also to capitalise these values and export outside of the Indian market,' Espinosa said. He said the company additionally has a very competent engineering footprint in India. Going forward, Nissan will leverage the joint venture Renault Nissan Technology & Business Centre in Chennai, not only to produce and develop vehicles in India jointly with partner Renault, but also for enabling new product development under Nissan's global portfolio. 'The Indian talent and engineering is very, very competent and that is something that our engineers in Japan value a lot. There's a lot of collaboration happening with the engineering team in India, to help us develop products for many of Nissan's world operations,' he said. Overall, Espinosa said while every market has its challenges, one of the positives in India is that the motorisation ratio still has a lot of potential to grow. He said that 'there's still a lot of potential for the Indian market to grow, but we do need to keep working hand in hand with the governments to keep the competitiveness that today India has. The cost competitiveness is quite good; the engineering capability is quite good. But how do we make this sustainable for the future?'. For one, as India transitions to cleaner mobility solutions such as battery electric vehicles, 'a solid roadmap' has to be put in place to expand infrastructure. Espinosa said government support is also needed to make EVs viable in the future in India. 'So, a lot of work to be done, which is not only specific to India. But a lot of work needs to be done to keep the (growth in sales of) electric vehicles at the pace governments or some of the governments are intending.'
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Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Business Standard
Dassault ties up with RInfra arm to make Falcon 2000 jets in India
Dassault Aviation, a French manufacturer of military aircraft and business jets, has partnered with Reliance Aerostructure Limited (RAL), a subsidiary of Anil Ambani-promoted Reliance Infrastructure (RInfra), to manufacture Falcon 2000 business executive jets in India for the global markets. The partnership was announced at the Paris Air Show on Wednesday. This is the first time Dassault Aviation will manufacture Falcon 2000 jets outside of France. Dassault Reliance Aerospace (DRAL), a 51:49 joint venture between RAL and Dassault, will become the Centre of Excellence (CoE) for the Falcon series, including Falcon 6X and Falcon 8X assembly programmes for Dassault Aviation, the first such CoE outside France. RAL established a partnership with Dassault DRAL in 2017. The operations commenced with the setting up of a manufacturing facility at Mihan, Nagpur, later that year. Since delivering its first Falcon 2000 front section in 2019, DRAL has assembled over 100 major sub-sections for the Falcon 2000. '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. This collaboration is a powerful expression of our commitment to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', and 'Make in India for the World' initiative, showcasing India's capability to build and deliver next-generation business jets for global markets,' Anil Ambani, founder-chairman, Reliance Group, said. The facility in Nagpur will have a capacity of producing 24 Falcon 2000 jets per annum. Meanwhile, Dassault's order backlog for Falcon jets is around 2,150 jets, according to a source. 'This new agreement, which will make DRAL the first centre of excellence for Falcon assembly outside France and which will eventually enable the establishment of a final assembly line for the Falcon 2000, illustrates, once again, 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,' Eric Trappier, chairman and CEO, Dassault Aviation, said. Besides, with over 10,000 military and civil aircraft (including 2,700 Falcons) delivered in more than 90 countries over the last century, Dassault Aviation designs, produces, and sells all types of aircraft, ranging from the Rafale fighter to the Falcon family of business jets, military drones and space systems. In 2024, Dassault Aviation reported revenues of 6.2 billion euro. RInfra has allotted 12.5 million fully paid-up equity shares of the company, aggregating ₹300 crore, to Risee Infinity, a promoter group entity, upon accelerated conversion of warrants. The company made a preferential issue of 125.6 million warrants aggregating ₹3,014.40 crore in October 2024. A minimum upfront amount of 25 per cent was paid on the warrants and the balance 75 per cent was payable in 18 months.