India’s landmark production of Rafale fuselages a ‘welcome’ boost for defence

Components to be produced via a deal with India’s Tata group at a new facility, amid efforts to boost domestic manufacturing of the Rafale

France’s Dassault Aviation will manufacture the main body section of its Rafale multirole fighter jets in India – the first time production has taken place outside France – in a move analysts say marks a strategic milestone in New Delhi’s push for defence self-reliance amid growing pressure to modernise its ageing air force.

The fuselage of the Rafale fighter aircraft will be produced through a partnership with India’s Tata group, as part of a broader effort to expand domestic manufacturing of the Rafale – widely regarded as the most advanced fighter jet in the Indian Air Force’s arsenal.

A new facility in the southern city of Hyderabad will supply the fuselages to India and the international market.

The development last week came days after India’s Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh warned of significant delays in defence procurement manufacturing. India and Pakistan had recently been engaged in armed conflict that was led by aerial attacks.

During the clashes, both sides claimed to have shot down rival aircraft, though the extent of damage suffered remains unsubstantiated. India, the world’s biggest arms importer, has been looking to step up domestic production and boost defence exports.

The Indian Air Force currently operates 36 Rafale fighters. India also signed a deal in April with France – its second-largest arms supplier – to buy 26 naval versions of the jets for US$7 billion, which are expected to be delivered by 2030.

“Dassault’s decision to manufacture Rafale fuselages in partnership with Tata is definitely a welcome step. It brings some more orders to small and medium-scale companies that are in this segment serving orders from other [fighter aircraft] programmes like Su-30 MKI, LCA, AMCA,” said P.K. Srivastava, former air vice-marshal in the Indian Air Force and senior adviser to Delhi-based think tank Indic Researchers Forum.

The Russian-made Su-30 MKI forms a significant proportion of the Indian Air Force’s fighter aircraft fleet, while the AMCA (Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft) is India’s programme to make a fifth-generation fighter aircraft for which the development of a prototype is under way.

Dassault’s agreement with Tata is thus seen as a big leap forward for the government’s programme to boost defence equipment manufacturing at home.

Srivastava said the manufacturing would localise high-precision airframe production and strengthen India’s role in the global fighter supply chain, as well as ramp up the foundational infrastructure for future indigenous fighter aircraft programmes like AMCA and Tejas Mk2.

However, Dassault was expected to supply all the materials such as cables and connectors and entrust the skill-related work of manufacturing the fuselages with the Indian partners, he noted.

“It would really be effective if there are no supplies from Dassault and the Indian industry is allowed to manufacture parts and various components based on the design and quality approval mechanism provided by [Dassault],” he said.

The Hyderabad facility is expected to start producing by 2028, delivering up to two fuselages every month.

The Indian Air Force, the fourth largest in the world, has 31 operational fighter squadrons, far below the 42 it needs to engage in a theoretical two-front war with Pakistan and China simultaneously.

Filling a critical gap

India’s plans to buy 114 multirole aircraft have been hit by delays, although local media reports say the government may expedite the purchase of new planes, with the Rafale, Lockheed Martin’s F-21, Boeing’s FA-18 and the Eurofighter Typhoon among the contenders.

However, producing the Rafale fuselages within the country is regarded as one of the quickest means to boost India’s fighter aircraft strength, as procurement and delivery from international manufacturers are likely to take years, according to the reports.

India’s shortfall in aircraft strength has been due to the retirement of MiG- 21, MiG 23 and MiG 27 aircraft since the 2000s, and exacerbated by concerns that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war will choke Moscow’s supply of spares and equipment that previously formed a bulk of India’s fleet.

Programmes like the AMCA and the Tejas Mk 2 indigenous aircraft are still seen as some time away, which will not serve India’s immediate needs, analysts say

Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump offered India the F-35 fighter, considered among the most sophisticated stealth aircraft. Analysts say India is likely to weigh the merits, including the expenses involved, before accepting the offer.

“While the F-35 offers unmatched sensor fusion and stealth, its procurement by India would be politically complex and strategically dependent on Indo-US relations. Indigenous focus on AMCA and upgrades to Su-30MKI and Rafale may offer a more sovereign and cost-effective pathway,” Srivastava said.

Stepping up production of drones and expediting a hypersonic Brahmos missile could help fill the gap in the interim period, he said.

A supersonic version of the Brahmos missile that was co-produced by Russia and India reportedly caused significant damage to Pakistan Air Force bases during the recent conflict, Indian media reported.

“In today’s geopolitical scenario, even limited F-35 or [Russian-made] Su-57 acquisition may become a strategic liability. We have to have our own weapons and platforms,” Srivastava said.

Indian experts have repeatedly advocated faster indigenisation of weapon systems including aircraft, but have also cautioned against over-reliance on state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, which has repeatedly failed to meet delivery deadlines.

The partnership between Dassault and Tata would lay the foundation for advancing the indigenous AMCA programme to meet India’s needs for a fifth-generation fighter aircraft, said Anil Khosla, a former vice-chief of air staff at the Indian Air Force.

“It aligns with India’s ‘Make in India’ and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives and would position India as a global aerospace hub, enhancing its strategic autonomy,” he said, referring to programmes to step up domestic manufacturing.