Dassault Aviation is set to expand its presence in India by establishing a new Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility near the upcoming Delhi Noida International Airport, also known as Jewar International Airport. This facility will be dedicated to the maintenance and overhaul of Rafale and Mirage 2000 fighter jets.
The planned MRO facility will enable India’s armed forces to service their fleets of Rafale and Mirage 2000 aircraft domestically, rather than relying on overseas support. India currently operates 36 Rafale fighter jets and 52 Mirage 2000s. Additionally, the Indian Navy is in discussions with Dassault to acquire 26 Rafale Marine aircraft.
According to sources, Dassault Aviation will undertake this project independently, without involving Reliance Defence. The two companies already have a joint venture, Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited, which operates a facility in Nagpur producing components for Rafale jets and Falcon business jets.
The new MRO facility is also expected to serve the Indonesian market, where 42 Rafale fighters are in operation, with potential for additional orders. Dassault Aviation is currently in the process of acquiring land near Jewar Airport for the facility. In a related development, Safran, the manufacturer of the Snecma M-88 engines used in Rafale jets, is planning to set up its own MRO facility in Hyderabad.
Safran is also in talks with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to collaborate on the design, development, and production of a turboshaft engine for HAL’s Multi Role Helicopter and Deck-Based Multi Role Helicopter.
