Bharat Forge Limited has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with FLYING WHALES, a French-Canadian company specializing in heavy-lift airship technology, to jointly develop, manufacture and deploy advanced airships for India’s defence and strategic requirements. The agreement was signed during the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 and marks a significant step towards establishing an indigenous heavy-lift airship ecosystem under the Government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.
The MoU was signed by Guru Biswal, Chief Executive Officer, Aerospace Division, Bharat Forge, and Sébastien Bougon, President of FLYING WHALES. The collaboration aims to create manufacturing, integration and production capabilities for heavy-lift airships in India, strengthening the country’s strategic aerospace capabilities while reducing dependence on imports.
The partnership will focus on the LCA60T, FLYING WHALES’ next-generation heavy-lift airship capable of carrying payloads of up to 60 tonnes. The aircraft features vertical take-off and landing capability, requires minimal ground infrastructure and is powered by a hybrid-electric propulsion system. Designed to operate in remote and challenging environments, the platform offers a new solution for transporting heavy cargo where conventional aircraft or road infrastructure may not be available.
The companies will explore multiple defence applications for the platform, including logistics support to forward operating bases, transportation of oversized military equipment, delivery of essential supplies, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, communication relay operations, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and rapid deployment in border areas and difficult terrain.
Bharat Forge said the collaboration combines its engineering and manufacturing expertise with FLYING WHALES’ advanced airship technology to create a new capability for India’s defence sector. The project is expected to strengthen India’s aerospace manufacturing ecosystem while supporting the country’s long-term strategic mobility requirements.
Amit Kalyani, Vice Chairman and Joint Managing Director of Bharat Forge Limited, said the partnership represents an important milestone in developing sovereign capabilities in advanced aerospace systems. He noted that heavy-lift airships have the potential to transform military logistics and strategic transportation while creating an entirely new industrial ecosystem in India. According to him, the initiative aligns with the country’s vision of achieving self-reliance in critical defence technologies.
Tanguy Lestienne, Chief Executive Officer of FLYING WHALES SERVICES, said India offers an ideal environment for deploying the LCA60T because of its vast geography and demanding operational conditions. He added that Bharat Forge’s engineering strength and understanding of India’s defence sector make it the right partner for expanding the programme and building a long-term airship industry in the country.
The localisation programme is expected to generate high-skilled employment, strengthen India’s aerospace supply chain and create opportunities for exports in the future. It will also support the development of advanced manufacturing capabilities for aerospace platforms within the country.
Headquartered in Pune, Bharat Forge is a global engineering company supplying advanced components and systems to the automotive, aerospace, defence, rail, marine, energy and industrial sectors. Through its aerospace division, the company designs and manufactures critical aerospace and defence systems using advanced manufacturing technologies.
FLYING WHALES is developing the LCA60T heavy-lift rigid airship to provide sustainable and efficient cargo transportation solutions for remote and infrastructure-deficient regions. The company aims to transform logistics, strategic mobility and humanitarian operations through next-generation airship technology.
