NE BUSINESS BUREAU
CHENNAI, SEPT 18
Can globally proven propulsion technology and indigenous engineering expertise converge to give India’s next-generation unmanned aircraft programme a new technological thrust? Bharat Forge Ltd. and Pratt & Whitney Canada, an RTX business, have announced a collaboration to explore precisely that possibility, opening a fresh avenue for evaluating advanced turboprop engines for India’s high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programme.
The partnership, announced on Friday, will focus on evaluating the integration of advanced turboprop engines into a HALE UAV designed and developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The initiative brings together international propulsion expertise and Indian engineering capabilities in support of the country’s indigenous unmanned aerial systems ambitions.
Under the proposed collaboration, Pratt & Whitney Canada will evaluate engine compatibility, performance and installation requirements. Bharat Forge, meanwhile, will lead the engine-airframe integration effort, encompassing installation design and systems interfaces, leveraging its advanced engineering, manufacturing and aerospace systems capabilities.
The initiative aligns with the government’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision, with the broader objective of strengthening India’s indigenous aerospace and defence manufacturing capabilities.
Engineering expertise meets propulsion technology
Highlighting the strategic significance of the collaboration, Amit Kalyani, Vice Chairman and Joint Managing Director, Bharat Forge Ltd., said the company’s aerospace business was proud to join hands with Pratt & Whitney Canada to advance India’s indigenous aerospace and defence manufacturing capabilities.
“By combining Pratt & Whitney’s globally proven propulsion technologies with Bharat Forge’s engineering and systems integration expertise, we aim to support development of a world-class HALE platform that strengthens India’s strategic self-reliance and defense preparedness,” Kalyani said.
His remarks underscore the partnership’s focus on bringing together established propulsion technologies and domestic systems-integration expertise to support the development of an indigenous high-altitude, long-endurance platform.
Reliability for demanding operational environments
Ashish Saraf, Vice President and Country Head, Pratt & Whitney, said the collaboration reflected the company’s continued commitment to supporting India’s aerospace and defence ambitions.
“Pratt & Whitney Canada’s turboprop engines have a proven legacy of reliability in demanding operational environments, which is exactly what’s needed for India’s HALE program,” Saraf said.
The proposed evaluation will examine the suitability of the engines for the programme, with compatibility, performance and installation requirements forming key areas of assessment.
Why HALE platforms matter
High-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles are designed to remain airborne for extended periods, providing surveillance, intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities across land and maritime domains.
Bharat Forge, the flagship company of the Kalyani Group, is honoured to participate in Dronothon 2026, an event conducted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) at Chandan, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
Through its aerospace arm, Bharat Forge showcased its indigenous turbojet engine and in… pic.twitter.com/S5jgGk6Il0
— Bharat Forge Ltd (@BharatForgeLtd) September 16, 2026
For India, the development of indigenous HALE capabilities is part of a wider effort to expand domestic aerospace and defence technologies. The Bharat Forge–Pratt & Whitney Canada collaboration brings together two distinct areas of expertise to explore the propulsion and integration requirements of the DRDO-designed platform.
The announcement marks an evaluation-stage collaboration; the companies have not announced a completed engine integration or operational deployment. Its significance will therefore depend on the outcomes of the technical assessment and subsequent development milestones.
