Strengthening India’s aerospace and defence manufacturing capabilities, Bharat Forge Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with French-Canadian heavy-lift airship technology company Flying Whales to jointly develop and manufacture advanced airships for India’s defence and strategic operations.
The agreement was signed at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 in the UK by Guru Biswal, CEO, Aerospace, Bharat Forge, and Sebastien Bougon, President, Flying Whales.
Under the partnership, the 2 companies will establish manufacturing, integration and production of Flying Whales-Bharat Forge airships in India, supporting the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives while building sovereign capabilities in the aerospace sector.
The collaboration will centre around the LCA60T platform, Flying Whales’ next-generation heavy-lift airship capable of transporting up to 60 tonnes of cargo. The platform features vertical take-off and landing capability, hybrid-electric propulsion and requires minimal ground infrastructure. It is designed for point-to-point operations in remote and challenging environments.
The companies will explore defence applications including logistics support for forward operating bases, transportation of oversized military equipment and supplies, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, communication relay systems, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief operations, and rapid deployment in remote border regions.
“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 6 decades of advanced engineering strength and deep understanding of India’s defence needs,” said Amit Kalyani, Vice Chairman & Joint Managing Director, Bharat Forge.
He added, “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.”
“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. We are delighted to partner with Bharat Forge… 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,” said Tanguy Lestienne, Chief Executive Officer, Flying Whales Services.
The proposed localisation programme is expected to generate high-technology jobs, strengthen the domestic aerospace supply chain and create future export opportunities for India.
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