Media365
India’s Bharat Forge has entered into a strategic partnership with French-Canadian heavy-lift airship developer Flying Whales to bring advanced 60-tonne airships to India, in a move that could create a new logistics platform for defence and strategic operations while strengthening the country’s domestic aerospace manufacturing base.
The two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly develop and manufacture the airships in India, with a focus on defence and other strategic operational requirements, Bharat Forge said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Bharat Forge Limited, through its Aerospace Division, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Flying Whales, a French-Canadian global pioneer in heavy-lift airship technology, to jointly develop, manufacture and field advanced airships for India’s defence and strategic operational requirements,” the company said.
The MoU was signed by Guru Biswal, CEO, Aerospace, Bharat Forge, and Sebastien Bougon, President, Flying Whales, at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 in the United Kingdom.
Under the agreement, the companies will work towards building manufacturing, integration and production capabilities in India for Flying Whales-Bharat Forge airships intended for defence use.
The collaboration is aimed at creating sovereign capabilities in a segment the companies described as strategically important for aerospace and logistics.
60-tonne airship for military logistics
At the heart of the partnership is the LCA60T, Flying Whales’ next-generation heavy-lift airship platform.
The aircraft is designed to carry up to 60 tonnes of cargo, with vertical take-off and landing capability, minimal dependence on ground infrastructure and hybrid-electric propulsion.
It is intended for point-to-point missions in remote and difficult terrain, which could make it useful for military logistics, strategic mobility and disaster response.
For India’s armed forces, the platform could support supply runs to forward operating bases, transport oversized equipment and critical stores, and potentially be adapted for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions as well as communication relay roles.
The airships could also be deployed for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, along with the rapid movement of personnel and supplies in remote border areas and other hard-to-reach locations.
The ability to move heavy loads without relying heavily on conventional infrastructure could be particularly valuable in geographically challenging regions.
India to build airship ecosystem
The proposed localisation programme is expected to generate high-skilled jobs, build out a domestic supply chain and create export opportunities over time, Bharat Forge said.
The partnership will combine Flying Whales’ airship technology with Bharat Forge’s engineering depth and defence manufacturing capabilities.
“Airships will redefine how nations move, supply and sustain their forces, and India will lead that change. This strategic partnership places India among a select group of nations with the capability to design, build and field heavy-lift airships, bringing together Flying Whales’ pioneering technology and Bharat Forge’s six decades of advanced engineering strength and deep understanding of India’s defence needs,” Amit Kalyani, Vice Chairman and Joint Managing Director, Bharat Forge, said.
“Aligned to the spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, we are creating a sovereign capability, a new industrial ecosystem and an entirely new dimension of strategic mobility for the nation,” he added.
The companies said the programme could also strengthen India’s position as a global aerospace manufacturing hub.
Flying Whales sees India as key market
Flying Whales said the LCA60T was designed to serve some of the world’s most remote and demanding environments.
“The LCA60T was conceived to reach the world’s most remote and demanding locations, and that promise finds its fullest expression in India, with its vast geography, challenging terrain and extraordinary ambition,” Tanguy Lestienne, Chief Executive Officer, Flying Whales Services, said.
“We are delighted to partner with Bharat Forge, whose engineering depth, defence expertise and shared vision make this a true strategic alliance to take the programme to scale. Together, we will build in India, for India and for the world, laying the foundations of an airship industry that will serve this region for generations,” he added.
The agreement comes as India continues to expand domestic defence manufacturing and reduce dependence on imports in critical aerospace and military technology segments.
For Bharat Forge, the partnership broadens its presence in advanced aerospace and defence manufacturing, while the proposed airship programme could create a new capability in India centred on heavy-lift, low-infrastructure logistics and strategic mobility.
With inputs from agencies.
