Anil Ambani beats Mukesh Ambani, to invest Rs 100000000000 in development of…, to see results in…
In a significant move by Anil Ambani aimed at providing a major boost to aerospace manufacturing in India, Reliance Defence has announced a Rs 10,000 crore investment in the sector to fund its ambitious project of launching the first ‘Made in India’ commercial aircraft by 2028.
How Anil Ambani plans to raise funds?
According to details, Reliance Defence, a subsidiary of Anil Ambani-led Reliance Infrastructure, has partnered with French aerospace giant Dassault Aviation to manufacture the Falcon 2000 LXS Business Executive Jets in India for the global market.
A portion of the investment will be raised by Reliance Infra, the parent company of Reliance Defence, which is planning to raise about Rs 17,600 crore through equity shares, institutional placement and foreign currency bonds, in addition to funneling capital funds from the monetization of nine road projects.
In a statement, Reliance Defence MD and CEO Rajesh Dhingra said the company aims to transform India into a major aerospace manufacturing hub in the next five years.
Why DRAL Nagpur will play a key role?
As per an official release, Dassault Aviation– primarily known for its Rafale fighter jets which are operated by the Indian Air Force (IAF)– termed the agreement with Reliance Aerostructure Limited (RAL), a subsidiary of Anil Ambani’s Reliance Infrastructure Ltd, as an “epic moment” for India, who now joins an elite club of countries manufacturing next-generation business jets after the United States, France, Canada and Brazil.
This will be the first instance when Dassault will build the Falcon 2000 jets outside France.
The company said that its Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL) at Mihan in Nagpur, Maharashtra, will be the Centre of Excellence (CoE) outside of France for Dassault Aviation’s Falcon series, including the Falcon 6X and Falcon 8X programs. The first flight of the “Made in India” Falcon 2000 is expected to take place from the DRAL Facility by 2028, it said.
Dassault to transfer Falcon 2000 assembly to DRAL
According to 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 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,” said Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO, Dassault Aviation.
The release termed the deal as a “landmark initiative”, which 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,” it added.
What is the Dassault-Reliance deal?
Anil Ambani-led Reliance Aerostructure and Dassault Aviation launched DRAL as a joint venture in 2017, and established a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Mihan, Nagpur, marking the start of operations. Since 2017, 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.”
News