Safran M88 Engine Localization for Rafale: Safran is talking about making the M88 engine in India, and that has become a big part of Dassault Aviation’s plan for the Indian Air Force’s Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (MRFA) program. India wants more local work in fighter jet deals. So the engine that powers the Rafale has become a very important piece of the whole offer. Reuters reported in February 2026 that Safran said it was ready to build an engine assembly line in India and also source parts from Indian suppliers.
The M88 is the engine used in the Rafale. Safran says it is fully designed, developed, and produced by the company. It is also a modular engine and has been used for more than a million flight hours. Safran says the Rafale uses two M88 engines, and the engine produces about 16,500 pounds of thrust with afterburner.
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Localization for India
India wants a lot of indigenous work in any MRFA deal. The larger aircraft package is expected to need high local content, and engine work is one of the hardest parts to localise. That is why the M88 plan matters so much. The expected local content for the engine is put in the 40% to 60% range. That kind of work would mean a much bigger shift from imports to Indian production.
If the Rafale is chosen, the first aircraft would likely be made in France and later jets would move into Indian assembly. Reports have said that a large share of the 114-aircraft fleet could be built in India. One report said 96 of the 114 may eventually be made locally. Since each Rafale needs two engines, that would mean a very large engine order for India.
A fleet of that size would need about 192 engines for the aircraft themselves. Extra spare engines would also be needed for maintenance and replacement. That would take the total higher and create steady work for Indian factories. Over time, this could also bring machining, testing, repair, overhaul, and parts supply work into India.
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Bigger Defence Base for India
This plan is not only about one engine. It is also about building a wider aerospace base in India. Safran has already been deepening its India work. In November 2025, the company announced a new M88 maintenance, repair, and overhaul facility in Hyderabad. It also said it was expanding its India footprint and working on more defence partnerships.
Safran’s India push also fits its wider “Make in India” direction. The company has said it is committed to local manufacturing, and it has already spoken about working with Indian partners on other aerospace programs too. One of those is the planned 110-120 kN engine for the AMCA Mk2 with GTRE. So the M88 work would not stand alone. It could become part of a much bigger Indo-French engine partnership.
