Rafale aerostructures to be made in Mihan-SEZ

NAGPUR: Reliance Aerostructure is expected to start manufacturing aerostuctures for Rafale in a couple of months. The company had taken up land in the Multi-modal International Cargo Hub and Airport at Nagpur’s (Mihan) special economic zone (SEZ) last year. This is part of the offset orders of the Rafale aircraft deal with France’s Dassault.
Under an offset arrangement, any supplier bagging a major government order has to invest a part of the deal in India to make components or for maintenance.
Reliance Aerostructures, part of the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG), had taken up over 100 acres in the SEZ last year to set up an aerospace park. The joint venture, Dassault Reliance Aersopace, has been formed to implement orders worth 30,000 crore.
Initially, the company may begin with making aerostructures which is the body of the aircraft. Earlier batches of aerostructures will be flown to the Dassault manufacturing facility in France for further processing. This is because the aircraft will be first sent in a ready-to-fly condition to India, said a source involved in the process.
With the deal signed, Reliance is examining various proposals every day.