New Delhi: French defense giant Dassault Aviation is set to establish a new maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facility near Jewar International Airport in Uttar Pradesh, India. This facility will serve not only India’s Mirage 2000 and Rafale fighter jets but also those from Indonesia.
According to government sources, Dassault Aviation has submitted an application to the Indian government for this standalone venture, which will be entirely owned by the French company. This move signifies Dassault’s decision to proceed without its Indian partner, Anil Ambani’s Reliance Defence. Previously, Dassault and Reliance operated a joint venture named Dassault Reliance Aerospace Limited (DRAL) in Nagpur, manufacturing parts for Falcon business jets and Rafales.
Sources revealed that Dassault has begun the process by filing an initial application to register the proposed name for its Indian venture. Initially, the new facility will focus on MRO-related tasks for the 36 Rafale jets of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the 26 Rafale Marine jets under discussion between Dassault and the Indian Navy. The facility will also support Indonesia, which operates 42 Rafale fighters with options for more.
This development is the first phase of Dassault’s broader plan for expanding operations in India. Notably, the IAF has a long-standing need for new fighters under the Medium Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) program, aiming to acquire 114 new fighters through the ‘Make in India’ initiative. Despite the procurement of 36 Rafale fighters under emergency measures by the Modi government, there is still a pressing need to strengthen the IAF’s fighter fleet.
Currently, the IAF operates approximately 31 fighter jet squadrons, short of the sanctioned 42 squadrons. This number includes aging MiG 21s and Jaguars, along with MiG 29s, all set to be retired by 2029-30. The majority of the IAF’s fleet consists of around 270 Su-30 MKI jets, which suffer from poor availability due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict making spare parts scarce.
As an interim solution, the IAF is negotiating with Qatar to acquire 12 Mirage fighter jets. However, these Mirages differ from those currently used by the IAF and will likely be organized into a separate squadron. Upgrading these 12 jets to match IAF standards is deemed too costly.
Meanwhile, the IAF has ordered 83 LCA MK1 A jets from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, with deliveries initially scheduled to begin in late February. However, the delivery has been delayed by at least four months due to various issues, including the sourcing of a crucial component.
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