Forging company Bharat Forge has entered the heavy-lift airship segment, signing a strategic memorandum of understanding (MoU) with French-Canadian aerospace company Flying Whales to jointly develop and manufacture next-generation airships for India's defence and strategic requirements.
The agreement, signed at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, aims to establish an indigenous manufacturing ecosystem for heavy-lift airships in India under the government's Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.
Under the partnership, Bharat Forge's Aerospace Division and Flying Whales will work towards manufacturing, integrating and producing airships for defence applications in India, creating sovereign capabilities in an emerging aerospace segment.
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At the middle of the collaboration is the LCA60T, Flying Whales' heavy-lift airship capable of transporting up to 60 tonnes of cargo. The platform features vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability, hybrid-electric propulsion and requires minimal ground infrastructure, enabling point-to-point operations in remote and difficult terrains.
The companies said the platform could be deployed for logistics support to forward operating bases, transportation of oversized military equipment and critical supplies, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, communication relay systems, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief operations and rapid deployment across remote border regions.
"Airships will redefine how nations move, supply and sustain their forces, and India will lead that change," said Amit Kalyani, Vice Chairman and Joint Managing Director of Bharat Forge. He added that the partnership combines Flying Whales' technology with Bharat Forge's engineering expertise to build a sovereign capability and create a new industrial ecosystem for strategic mobility.
Flying Whales Services Chief Executive Officer Tanguy Lestienne said India, with its vast geography and challenging terrain, offers an ideal opportunity for deploying the LCA60T platform. He added that the partnership aims to "build in India, for India and for the world."
The proposed localisation programme is also expected to create high-technology jobs, strengthen India's aerospace supply chain and open up future export opportunities, further positioning the country as a global aerospace manufacturing hub.
At around 12:10 pm, Bharat Forge shares were trading 0.22% lower at Rs 2,198 apiece. By comparison, the BSE Sensex was down 0.83% at 76,828.
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