FARNBOROUGH: Flying Whales and Bharat Forge Limited have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly develop, manufacture and deploy advanced heavy-lift airships for India’s defence and strategic operational requirements.
The agreement was signed at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026 and aims to establish a Make in India production ecosystem for next-generation airships with applications in defence, strategic logistics and national security missions.
The MoU was signed by Guru Biswal, CEO Aerospace, Bharat Forge Limited, and Sébastien Bougon, President of Flying Whales, during the international aerospace event.
The partnership marks a significant step towards building an indigenous airship ecosystem in India in alignment with the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives.
Under the collaboration, Bharat Forge and Flying Whales will work towards establishing manufacturing, integration and production capabilities in India for airships intended for defence applications.
LCA60T Platform at the Centre of the Collaboration
The collaboration is centred on the LCA60T platform, Flying Whales’ next-generation heavy-lift airship designed to transport up to 60 tonnes of cargo.
The platform features vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability, requires minimal ground infrastructure and uses hybrid-electric propulsion.
According to the companies, the LCA60T is designed for point-to-point operations in challenging and remote environments, creating new possibilities for military logistics, strategic mobility and disaster response operations.
Defence and Strategic Applications
The Bharat Forge-Flying Whales partnership will explore a range of defence applications, including:
- Logistics support to forward operating bases
- Transportation of oversized equipment and critical military supplies
- Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions
- Communication relay systems
- Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations
- Rapid deployment in remote border regions and difficult terrains
Amit Kalyani on Sovereign Airship Capability
Commenting on the collaboration, Amit Kalyani, Vice Chairman and Joint Managing Director of Bharat Forge Limited, said: “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.”
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Flying Whales CEO on India Partnership
Tanguy Lestienne, Chief Executive Officer of 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.”
Make in India Manufacturing and Export Potential
The proposed localisation programme under the Flying Whales-Bharat Forge partnership is expected to generate high-technology employment, develop an advanced aerospace supply chain and create future export opportunities.
The companies said the initiative would further strengthen India’s position as a global aerospace manufacturing hub while building sovereign capabilities in a strategically important aerospace segment.
The announcement was made at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026, one of the world’s leading aerospace and defence exhibitions, where Bharat Forge and Flying Whales formalised their collaboration for the development of heavy-lift airship technology in India.
