Bharat Forge partners FLYING WHALES to build heavy-lift airships in India
The collaboration aims to establish indigenous manufacturing of next-generation platforms for defence logistics, strategic mobility, disaster response and national security under the Make in India initiative.
Guru Biswal, chief executive officer of Bharat Forge Aerospace, and Sébastien Bougon, president of FLYING WHALES during the signing of MoU to develop and manufacture heavy-lift airships for sovereign applications In India, at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, on Wednesday.
FARNBOROUGH: Bharat Forge Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with French-Canadian aerospace company FLYING WHALES to jointly develop and manufacture heavy-lift airships in India for defence, strategic logistics and national security applications.
The agreement, signed at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, will see Bharat Forge’s Aerospace Division collaborate with FLYING WHALES to establish an indigenous ecosystem for the manufacture, integration and production of advanced airships in line with the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.
The MoU was signed by Guru Biswal, chief executive officer of Bharat Forge Aerospace, and Sébastien Bougon, president of FLYING WHALES.
The partnership centres 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 capability, hybrid-electric propulsion and requires minimal ground infrastructure, enabling point-to-point operations in remote and difficult terrain.
According to the companies, the airship is expected to support a wide range of defence missions, including logistics for forward operating bases, transportation of oversized military equipment and critical supplies, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations, communication relay systems, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and rapid deployment in border regions.
Amit Kalyani, vice chairman and joint managing director of Bharat Forge, said the partnership would position India among a select group of nations with the capability to design, manufacture and deploy heavy-lift airships. He said the collaboration combines FLYING WHALES’ advanced airship technology with Bharat Forge’s engineering expertise and understanding of India’s defence requirements to create sovereign capabilities and a new dimension in strategic mobility.
Tanguy Lestienne, chief executive officer of FLYING WHALES SERVICES, said India’s vast geography, challenging terrain and growing strategic requirements make it an ideal market for the LCA60T platform. He said the partnership with Bharat Forge would enable the companies to build an indigenous airship industry capable of serving India and international markets.
The companies said the proposed localisation programme is expected to generate high-technology employment, strengthen India’s aerospace supply chain and create future export opportunities, further enhancing the country’s position as a global aerospace manufacturing hub.
