Dassault Aviation and Reliance Infrastructure Ltd subsidiary, Reliance Aerostructure Ltd (RAL), have announced the establishment of the first final assembly line for Falcon 2000 LXS business executive jets outside France. The facility will be located at Dassault Reliance Aerospace Ltd (DRAL) in MIHAN, Nagpur, marking a major milestone for the ‘Make in India’ initiative and the country’s growing stature in the global aviation sector.
With this, India joins an elite group of nations—including the United States, France, Canada, and Brazil—that manufacture executive business jets. The development was officially announced at the Paris Air Show, underscoring India’s ascent as a key player in the global aerospace value chain.
For Dassault Aviation, DRAL will become its first Center of Excellence (CoE) for the Falcon series outside France. The CoE will support programs including the Falcon 2000, Falcon 6X, and Falcon 8X. Full fuselage and wing assembly operations for the Falcon 2000, along with the front section assemblies of the Falcon 6X and 8X, will be transferred to the Nagpur facility. This significant expansion of DRAL’s capabilities will culminate in the first ‘Made in India’ Falcon 2000 taking flight by 2028.
Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO, Dassault Aviation, stated:
“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.”
Since its inception in 2017, the Dassault-Reliance joint venture has established a modern manufacturing base in Nagpur. DRAL delivered its first front section for the Falcon 2000 in 2019 and has since produced over 100 major subsections, demonstrating robust precision manufacturing capabilities and a strong contribution to the Falcon global production program.
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 agreement is expected to accelerate India’s transformation into a strategic global aviation hub and reaffirm the country’s role as a vital contributor to high-end aerospace manufacturing. The new final assembly line in Nagpur will serve both domestic and international markets, catering to the growing demand for state-of-the-art business jets.