Hyderabad: In a first for India’s defence sector, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and France’s Dassault Aviation are joining hands to build Rafale fighter jet fuselages right here in Hyderabad, marking the first time this critical component will be manufactured outside France.
Set to be housed in a brand-new facility at TASL’s Hyderabad campus, the fuselage will form the backbone of the Rafale, integrating the cockpit, electronics, and key systems that power the aircraft. The move follows a ₹64,000 crore deal between India and France in April this year for 26 Rafale Marine jets, paving the way for domestic production to support the Indian Navy.
The plant is expected to ramp up operations by the 2028 financial year, with plans to churn out two fuselages a month. The agreement is part of a broader partnership between TASL and Dassault, which signed four separate contracts to reinforce their collaboration.
Dassault Aviation’s Chairman and CEO, Eric Trappier, called the partnership a milestone for Indo-French defence ties. “Partnering with TASL, a leader in India’s aerospace industry, ensures we can meet delivery schedules without compromising on quality,” he said.
Sukaran Singh, CEO and Managing Director of TASL, said the project was a testament to India’s growing aerospace capabilities. “Dassault’s trust in us to manufacture the Rafale fuselage shows that India’s aerospace sector is ready to stand tall on the global stage,” he said.
The Hyderabad unit is expected to meet the demands of both the Indian Air Force and Navy, and could potentially serve international customers down the line. Analysts say the project will cement Telangana’s status as a defence manufacturing hub and inject fresh momentum into India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative.
With the first Rafale fuselage set to roll off the lines in Hyderabad, the city is poised to take its place in shaping India’s defence future—one fuselage at a time.
Precision meets partnership ✈️⚙️
Dassault Aviation partners with Tata Advanced Systems to manufacture Rafale fighter aircraft fuselage for India and other global markets.#TataAdvancedSystems #DassaultAviation #Rafale #MakeInIndia #Aerospace #DefenceManufacturing… pic.twitter.com/MDLIOzXwxx
— Tata Advanced Systems Limited (@tataadvanced) June 5, 2025
