8MAY, 2025HINDALCO ENTERS EV COMPONENT MANUFACTURING WITH MAJOR DELIVERY TO MAHINDRAINDIA & FRANCE SIGN $7.5 BILLION DEAL FOR 26 RAFALE MARINE JETS TO BOOST NAVYTOP STORIES8MAY, 2025India's defense modernization has acquired major growth with the Indian Navy acquiring 26 Rafale Marine fighter jets from Dassault Aviation. This strategic move, under a 7.5­7.6 billion dollar contract inked on April 28, 2025, in Saint-Cloud, France, deepens India-France defense ties and highlights India's commitment to boosting its naval aviation capabilities.The deal includes 22 Rafale Marine single-seat fighters, 4 Rafale B twin-seat trainers, complete weapons packages like Meteor missiles and Exocet anti-ship missiles, and support for national integration of Astra Mk1 and Rudram missiles, backed with India's 'Make in India' scheme. Local manufacturing of components is also planned, reinforcing India's push for defense self-reliance.Éric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, witnessed the signing and expressed the importance of Indo-French cooperation. The Rafale Marine was established over Boeing's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet after rigorous trials at INS Hansa, Goa. These aircraft will succeed the aging MiG-29K fleet aboard INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya, addressing long-standing functionality and maintenance issues.Deliveries will begin by May 2028, with temporary training using French Navy Rafale Ms. Modifications for carrier compatibility, including folding wingtips for INS Vikrant elevators, are underway. "The acquisition package includes the Meteor long-range air-to-air missile, capable of engaging targets beyond 150 kilometers, and the Exocet AM39 Block 2 Mod 2 anti-ship missile, designed for maritime strikes."Dassault Aviation, meanwhile, is scaling production capacity and exploring an assembly line in India. Alongside, India plans to add three more Scorpène-class submarines under Project 75, reinforcing naval capabilities. This Rafale Marine deal positions India for enhanced carrier operations while its indigenous TEDBF project progresses toward 2031. Hindalco Industries, a major player in the metals industry under the Aditya Birla Group, has stepped into electric vehicle (EV) component manufacturing with a new Rs 500 crore facility in Chakan, Pune. Spread across five acres, this advanced plant produces lightweight, crash-resistant aluminium battery enclosures for EVs. The company recently delivered 10,000 of these enclosures to Mahindra & Mahindra for their electric SUVs, the BE 6 and XEV 9e, supporting India's shift toward greener transportation.Right now, the factory can churn out 80,000 enclosures a year, but they're planning to ramp it up to 160,000. Over 3,000 Mahindra EVs with these aluminium battery packs are already cruising Indian roads. Made with Mahindra's input, these enclosures are up to 40% lighter than steel ones, which means the EVs can go 8-10% farther, stay safer in crashes, and keep batteries cool. Plus, they're built using eco-friendly, low-carbon aluminium, showing Hindalco's heart is in sustainability."This facility represents a strategic shift in India's EV ecosystem from import dependence to high-performance, localised aluminium solutions," said Satish Pai, Managing Director of Hindalco. Rajesh Jejurikar, a key leader at Mahindra, gave a shout-out to Hindalco's engineering chops, saying they're making a real difference for sustainable driving.The plant is a win for the government's `Make in India' push, cutting down on foreign imports and creating up to 1,000 jobs. Almost all the machine operators are women, which shows Hindalco is serious about including everyone. Looking ahead, they're ready to supply aluminium parts to other carmakers in India and beyond, for both EVs and regular vehicles. With India's EV scene heating up and more battery factories popping up, Hindalco's ready to ride the wave of demand for aluminium.
< Page 7 | Page 9 >