Dassault Hopes to Manufacture Rafale under ‘Make in India’

Dassault is expecting to manufacture an unspecified number of Rafale aircraft under the ‘Make in India’ program in addition to the order for 36 off-the-shelf planes which it is negotiating with the Indian MoD.

Eric Trappier, CEO of Dassault said during the course of a press conference with the French media last Friday , "I'm cautious but we believe that the needs of the Indian air force exceed by far the 36 aircraft. We think it will be a second part later that will be done under the "Make in India", that is to say, with manufacturing in India in which Dassault and partners will have the leadership to organize the local supply chain and find the right partnerships ."

India and France have commenced government-to-government negotiations to quickly seal the deal to buy 36 aircraft after throwing aside the earlier discussions between Dassault and the Indian MoD for the purchase of 18 aircraft in fly-away condition and 118 under a licence manufacturing deal.

Dassault was earlier in talks with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Reliance (Mukesh Ambani group) when it was negotiating offsets and licence manufacture deal under the previous tender-based order.

French Industry sources told Defenseworld.net at the Paris Air Show that Dassault has not abandoned talks with its potential partners in India after the deal for 36 aircraft was initiated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Dassault will use the first order to start an industrial base in India involving both government and private companies. Indian official have been talking of buying more fighter aircraft after the 36 Rafale. Dassault is sure to put its hat into the ring for that order as well.”