Bharat Forge Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with French-Canadian aerospace company FLYING WHALES to jointly develop, manufacture and deploy next-generation heavy-lift airships for India’s defence and strategic applications. The agreement was signed during the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, marking a significant milestone in advancing India’s indigenous aerospace manufacturing capabilities.
The MoU was signed by Guru Biswal, CEO – Aerospace, Bharat Forge Limited, and Sébastien Bougon, President, FLYING WHALES, to establish a comprehensive airship manufacturing ecosystem in India under the Government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.
As part of the collaboration, the two companies will work towards the localisation, integration and production of advanced heavy-lift airships for defence applications, creating sovereign capabilities in a strategically important segment of aerospace manufacturing.
At the centre of the partnership is the LCA60T, FLYING WHALES’ next-generation rigid 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 efficient point-to-point transportation in remote and challenging environments.
The airship is expected to support a wide range of defence and strategic missions, including logistics for forward operating bases, transportation of oversized military equipment and critical supplies, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations, communication relay systems, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) missions, and rapid deployment in difficult border regions.
Commenting on the partnership, Amit Kalyani, Vice Chairman and Joint Managing Director, Bharat Forge Limited, said that “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 six decades of advanced engineering strength and deep understanding of India’s defence needs. 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.
Tanguy Lestienne, Chief Executive Officer, FLYING WHALES SERVICES, said “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, whose engineering depth, defence expertise and shared vision make this a true strategic alliance to take the programme to scale. 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.”
Beyond strengthening India’s defence capabilities, the proposed localisation programme is expected to generate high-skilled employment, establish an advanced domestic supply chain and create future export opportunities, further reinforcing India’s position as a global aerospace manufacturing hub.
The partnership reflects the growing focus on indigenous development of advanced aerospace platforms while expanding India’s strategic mobility capabilities through next-generation technologies.
