New Delhi: As the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, President Murmu previously took a sortie in a Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft at the Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam on April 8, 2023.
Her upcoming Rafale sortie marks another milestone in showcasing the President’s engagement with India’s frontline defence capabilities.
The Rafale fighter jet, inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) in 2020, has played a key role in bolstering India’s air combat capabilities.
It was notably deployed during ‘Operation Sindoor’, underscoring its strategic importance in the IAF’s operational readiness.
Dassault Aviation’s India Expansion Plans
Earlier this month, reports indicated that Dassault Aviation, the French manufacturer of the Rafale, is planning to set up an assembly line in India to cater to upcoming orders from both the Indian Navy and Air Force.
Sources said India could soon become the first country to produce a 4.5-generation fighter jet without being the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM).
Dassault currently faces a backlog of nearly 200 Rafale aircraft, including orders from the UAE (80), Indonesia (42), Egypt (54), Greece (24), Qatar (36), and Croatia (12) — along with a potential 26 aircraft order for the Indian Navy.
Production Line Planned at DRAL, Nagpur
With its present output capped at 24 aircraft per year, Dassault is reportedly evaluating plans to establish an additional production line at the Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL) facility in MIHAN SEZ, Nagpur.
The new manufacturing setup is expected to feature four hangars spanning 500,000 square feet, with production targeted to start in 2028.
The facility could produce up to 24 Rafale jets annually, translating to ₹24,000 crore in sales per year, with each aircraft estimated to cost ₹1,000 crore.
The DRAL expansion is projected to attract an additional investment of ₹3,000 crore and generate employment for over 1,200 skilled personnel, up from the current 600 working on Falcon 2000 business jets.
Major Upcoming Defence Deals
The Indian Air Force is preparing to issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) for 114 multi-role fighter aircraft within the next six months — one of the largest fighter jet procurements globally.
Simultaneously, the Indian Navy’s order for 26 Rafales is expected to be finalised soon, with deliveries likely to commence by 2027.
President Murmu’s sortie at Ambala is seen as a symbolic nod to India’s growing defence self-reliance and technological prowess, as the country edges closer to becoming a global aerospace manufacturing hub.
