HAL will be 'main partner' in Rafale aircraft deal: Dassault

Identifying HAL as its "main partner" in the multirole combat aircraft deal, France's Dassault Aviation today said it will set up a joint venture company with Reliance Industries to work on the USD 10 billion Rafale project. It said the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is the "main partner" of the French firm in the Indian contract, which is one of the biggest aircraft deals in the world. The French company's Rafale fighter aircraft was shortlisted by India last year. "We have a special partnership with Reliance company. It as a private company wants to be in defence sector and we are supporting this partnership... "We will create JV company with Reliance in India," Dassault' Chief Executive Officer Eric Trappier told