Shares of French aerospace giant Dassault Aviation have witnessed a sharp rally in 2025, surging over 66% since the beginning of the year. As of Thursday, the stock climbed to €325.80 on the Paris stock exchange, up from €195.90 on December 31, 2024. This remarkable growth translates to a 66.7% gain year-to-date. The company’s current market capitalization stands at approximately €2.61 billion (₹25,120 crore).
The recent escalation in India-Pakistan tensions has contributed to the rally. In response to security concerns, the Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed its Rafale fighter jets—armed with SCALP cruise missiles and HAMMER precision-guided munitions—targeting high-value terror infrastructure. Notably, the IAF carried out these precision strikes without crossing into enemy airspace. Besides India, nations such as Egypt and Qatar also operate Rafale jets in their air force fleets.
Dassault Aviation, renowned for its design and production of military aircraft, business jets, and space systems, has also benefited from solid financial performance. The company reported full-year sales of €6.24 billion and a net income of €924 million. This financial strength comes as the broader French Aerospace & Defense industry posted a 17.7% growth over the last year.
As of March 7, 2025, the company’s ownership structure includes Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault holding a 66.28% stake, Airbus owning 10.56%, and 22.94% of the shares remaining free-float.
In a major development, India signed a fresh deal with Dassault Aviation in April 2025 to procure 26 additional Rafale-M fighter jets for the Indian Navy. Valued at ₹63,000 crore (approximately $7.4 billion), these maritime strike aircraft are scheduled for delivery within 37 to 65 months. This follows India’s earlier purchase agreement in September 2016 for 36 Rafales, worth €7.8 billion, which included weapons like Meteor missiles and spares.
