PUNE: City-based Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) and French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation will sign a memorandum of understanding on March 12, envisaging a two-year training course, including a year-long stint in France, for select DIAT students.
After clearing the course, the candidates will join the Dassault-Reliance aerospace manufacturing facility, which is coming up at the Mihan SEZ in Nagpur. Under this joint venture (51% Reliance Infrastructure and 49% Dassault Aviation), the facility will manufacture several components of the offset obligation connected to the purchase of 36 Rafale fighters from France.
Surendra Pal, vice chancellor of DIAT, a deemed university under the Defence Research and Development Organisation, said on Tuesday, “We have received a letter of intent (LoI) from Dassault Aviation informing us to sign the MoU on March 12. It will be a big opportunity for our students. Initially, they have decided to hire six to seven students every year.”
He said, “A team of Dassault Aviation had visited various top ranked institutions, including the DIAT, in the country before expressing their desire to collaborate with us.”