Bharat Forge Ltd has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Flying Whales, a French-Canadian pioneer in heavy-lift airship technology, to jointly develop, manufacture and deploy advanced airships for India’s defence and strategic operational requirements.
The agreement, signed at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, marks a significant step towards establishing an indigenous airship ecosystem in India in line with the Government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.
The MoU was signed by Guru Biswal, CEO-Aerospace, Bharat Forge Ltd, and Sébastien Bougon, President, Flying Whales.
Indigenous airship manufacturing
Under the partnership, Bharat Forge and Flying Whales will work towards manufacturing, integrating and producing advanced airships in India for defence applications. The collaboration aims to create sovereign capabilities in a strategically important aerospace segment while strengthening India’s domestic defence manufacturing ecosystem.
The companies will focus on establishing local production capabilities that can support both domestic requirements and future export opportunities.
LCA60T platform at the core
The collaboration will centre on the LCA60T, Flying Whales’ next-generation heavy-lift airship capable of transporting up to 60 tonnes of cargo.
The platform features vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability, requires minimal ground infrastructure and uses hybrid-electric propulsion. Designed for point-to-point operations in remote and challenging environments, the airship is expected to significantly enhance military logistics, strategic mobility and disaster response capabilities.
Wide range of defence applications
The partners will explore multiple defence and strategic use cases for the platform, including logistics support for forward operating bases, transportation of oversized military equipment and critical supplies and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. Both the companies will work on communication relay systems, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations and rapid deployment in remote border regions and difficult terrains.
Building sovereign capability
Bharat Forge Vice Chairman & Joint Managing Director Amit Kalyani said the partnership would position India among a select group of nations capable of developing and deploying heavy-lift airships.
“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,” he 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,” Kalyani added.
Expanding India’s aerospace footprint
Flying Whales Services Chief Executive Officer Tanguy Lestienne said India offers an ideal environment for scaling the heavy-lift airship programme.
“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,” he said.
“We are delighted to partner with Bharat Forge, whose engineering depth, defence expertise and shared vision make this a true strategic alliance. 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,” Lestienne added.
High-tech jobs and export opportunities
The proposed localisation programme is expected to generate high-technology employment, develop an advanced aerospace supply chain and create export opportunities, reinforcing India’s ambition to emerge as a global aerospace manufacturing hub.