• This partnership is for defense , The launch of ‘ Make in India ‘ production of next-generation airships for strategic logistics and national security missions is linked to –

New Delhi , July 22 , 2026: Bharat Forge Limited, through its Aerospace Division , Memorandum of Understanding (MoU ) with Flying Whales, a French-Canadian company, a global leader in heavy-lift airship technology The objective is to jointly develop advanced airships to suit India’s defence and strategic operational needs . The aim is to produce and deploy them. The MoU was signed by Bharat Forge Limited’s Aerospace Executive – Mr. Guru Biswal and Flying Whales’ President – Mr. Sebastian Bougon at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 Signed in.

This partnership is a significant step towards creating our own airship ecosystem in India . This is in line with the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives. Both companies , Flying Whales – Bharat Forge manufacturing airships for defence purposes in India Work towards establishing integration and production , This will develop the country’s own capabilities in the strategically important field of aerospace.

At the heart of this collaboration is the LCA 60T platform , Flying Whales’ state-of-the-art heavy-lift airship. It offers vertical take-off and landing capability , Requiring minimal ground infrastructure and powered by hybrid-electric propulsion, it is capable of carrying up to 60 tons of payload. Designed for point-to-point operations in difficult and remote areas, the platform supports military logistics , Offers new possibilities for strategic mobility and disaster relief operations.

This partnership will explore the possibilities of defense work , including: logistics support to forward operating bases , Transportation of oversized equipment and essential military supplies , Intelligence , Surveillance and reconnaissance missions , communication relay system , Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations , and rapid deployment to remote border areas and difficult terrain.

Vice Chairman and Joint Managing Director, Bharat Forge Limited , Mr. Amit Kalyani said ” Airship military from Logistics of picture change Will go . Armies of deployment From taking Logistics reached​and to maintain the necessary support for its defence forces during deployment . shift of leadership India Through this strategic partnership, India is joining a select group of countries , who had designs for heavy-lift airships , The potential for manufacturing and deployment includes ‘ flying whales ‘  Leading technology of ‘ Bharat Forge ‘ We bring together six decades of engineering expertise and a deep understanding of India’s defence needs. We are committed to ‘ Atmanirbhar Bharat ‘ In accordance with the spirit of independent capacity for the country , New industrial ecosystems and strategic mobility are creating a completely new dimension.”

Chief Executive of Flying Whales Services , Mr. Tanguy Lestienne said , “ The LCA 60T was designed to reach the world’s most remote and difficult locations . and India’s vast geographical location , This approach is perfectly suited to the challenging terrain and extraordinary ambition. We are pleased to partner with Bharat Forge , which brings its engineering expertise , Given our expertise and shared vision in the defense sector, we are the perfect partner for the scalability of this program. Together, in India , We will manufacture for India and the world and lay the foundation for an airship industry that will serve the region for generations to come.”

The proposed localization program is expected to create high-tech jobs , Advanced supply chains will be developed and future export opportunities will be created , This will further strengthen India’s position as a global aerospace manufacturing hub.