Hyderabad: In a significant boost for ‘Make in India‘ and ‘Atmanirbharta’ in the aerospace and defence sector, and Hyderabad’s growing stature as a global aerospace hub, the complete fuselage of the Rafale fighter jet will now be made in India at Hyderabad. This move marks the first time that these Rafale components will be manufactured outside France for the Indian as well as global markets.French aerospace major Dassault Aviation has signed four production transfer agreements with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) for manufacturing key sections of the Rafale fighter jet, including the lateral shells of the rear fuselage, the complete rear section, the central fuselage, and the front section.TASL will set up a dedicated production facility to manufacture the complete fuselage of the Rafale fighter jet, with a capacity to deliver up to two complete fuselages every month. The first of these fuselage sections is slated to begin rolling off the assembly from 2027-28.TASL and Dassault said in a joint statement on Thursday that the move marks a significant step in strengthening India’s aerospace manufacturing capabilities and supporting global supply chains. The proposed facility will serve as a critical hub for high-precision manufacturing, they added.“This is a decisive step in strengthening our supply chain in India,” said Dassault Aviation chairman & CEO Eric Trappier. “…this supply chain will contribute to the successful ramp-up of the Rafale and, with our support, will meet our quality and competitiveness requirements.”TASL CEO and managing director Sukaran Singh said the collaboration also reflects the remarkable progress made by India in establishing a modern, robust aerospace manufacturing ecosystem that can support global platforms.The Rafale fighter jet fuselage is the latest in a string of key civil and military aircraft components being made in Hyderabad, where TASL houses three joint ventures – Tata Boeing Aerospace Ltd (TBAL), Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Ltd (TLMAL), and Tata Sikorsky Aerospace Ltd (TSAL).Located in Adibatla near the international airport at Shamshabad, TBAL’s facility manufactures vertical fin structures for Boeing’s 737 family of airplanes and aero-structures for Boeing’s AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. In Feb, TBAL Hyderabad marked an important milestone with the delivery of the 300th fuselage for the Apache. These fuselages are manufactured for customers around the world, including the US Army and the Indian Army.On the other hand, TLMAL manufactures empennage assemblies or tail structures for Lockheed Martin’s C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft. The TSAL makes a significant chunk of the components for Sikorsky’s S-92 presidential chopper, including cabins and over 5,000 precision components.Hyderabad also houses manufacturing facilities for French aviation giant Safran. While Safran Aircraft Engines makes rotating turbine seals for the LEAP engine, Safran Electrical & Power makes electrical harnesses for the LEAP engine, Rafale as well as Falcon 10X and Fadec.
