Tata to Manufacture Rafale Fuselage in India Under New Deal with Dassault

Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) will manufacture Rafale fighter aircraft fuselages in India, under a new production agreement with Dassault Aviation.

The agreement, which involves four Production Transfer contracts, marks the first time Rafale fuselage components will be built outside France. Dassault called it a "decisive step" toward strengthening its global supply chain with India as a key node.

Image Source: TataAdvanced on X

As part of the collaboration, a state-of-the-art facility will be set up in Hyderabad to produce critical structural components of the Rafale, including the rear fuselage, lateral shells, central body, and forward section, according to an Economic Times report.

Production is scheduled to begin in FY2028, with the facility targeting an output of two complete fuselage assemblies per month.

“This is a decisive step in strengthening our supply chain in India,” said Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation.
“Our partners like TASL will play a vital role in ensuring quality and competitiveness as we scale up Rafale production.”

TASL CEO Sukaran Singh described the project as a transformative moment for India’s aerospace sector, saying it reflects growing international confidence in the country’s industrial capabilities.

“Producing the entire fuselage in India shows the depth of trust in our partnership and the maturity of India’s aerospace manufacturing ecosystem,” Singh said.

Dassault noted that the initiative will enhance India’s role in global aerospace production chains, while supporting its ambition for self-reliance in high-precision defense manufacturing.