Dassault Aviation of France has announced the incorporation of a subsidiary company in India dedicated exclusively for Maintenance, Repair and Overall (MRO) of its military activities, Dassault Aviation MRO India (DAMROI), based in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

The development comes as negotiations with the Indian Navy are in advanced stages for 26 Rafale-M, the marine variant, to operate off Indian aircraft carriers. Indian Air Force (IAF) operates three squadrons of the Mirage-2000 fighters and 36 Rafale fighter jets.

“It is committed to meeting the needs of the IAF by offering tailor-made products and services to support its Mirage 2000 fleet and, more broadly, the fighter aircraft supplied by Dassault Aviation in India, in order to guarantee the best possible responsiveness and efficiency in fulfilling its requirements,” the company said in a statement.

“Created under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” policy to contribute to India’s self-reliance and promote indigenous value-added services, DAMROI will benefit from Dassault Aviation’s technological expertise and offer new opportunities for cooperation and collaboration with the aim of becoming a key player in participating to a full-fledged aero defence ecosystem in India,” the statement added.