Bharat Forge signs pact with UK's Windracers to deploy cargo UAVs in India

MoU begins with an initial two-year term, offering both companies opportunity to advance localisation, conduct joint trials and shape a definitive agreement for deployment in India, Bharat Forge said

Don't want to miss the best from Business Standard?

Forging and advanced engineering company Bharat Forge on Thursday said it has signed an agreement with the UK-based autonomous cargo drone manufacturer Windracers Limited for a collaboration on deployment, localisation and application of the latter's Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) ULTRA across India.

The Memorandum of understanding, signed between the two companies at the ongoing global defence exhibition and conference, DSEI UK 2025 in London, aligns with Bharat Forge's and Windracers' broader aerospace growth strategy of advancing UAV capabilities in India, supporting innovation, technology transfer and strategic aerospace applications across defence, the company said.

The MoU begins with an initial two-year term, offering both companies the opportunity to advance localisation, conduct joint trials and shape a definitive agreement for deployment in India, Bharat Forge said.

The partnership builds on the UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), advancing aerospace technology transfer and innovation in both countries, and aligns with the goals of India-UK Vision 2035, it stated.

"We are partnering with Windracers under the positive climate fostered by the UK-India FTA. Windracers ULTRA not only enhances India's indigenous UAV capabilities but also delivers robust solutions for high-stakes logistics across some of the world's most challenging geographies," said Amit Kalyani, Joint MD of Bharat Forge.

According to Bharat Forge, the UAV has already proven its multi-mission resilience and reliability in international operations, including its ongoing support for Antarctic research missions, and is expected to deliver similar advantages to India by enabling safe and efficient transport over hazardous and inaccessible terrain.

"With an industry-leading payload capacity and proven performance in high-altitude, maritime, and remote terrains, Windracers UAV is uniquely suited to tri-service needs expanding our reach with an offering tailored to all three domains - naval, air and land - and aligning with Indian Ministry of Defence's 15-year roadmap that prioritises unmanned logistics, naval operations, high-altitude supply chains, and dual-use technologies," he added.

Together, Bharat Forge and Windracers expect to address emerging requirements across the Indian military and civil sectors with ULTRA's capabilities, including Carrier On Board Delivery (COD) operations for the Indian Navy, critical logistics for Indian Army and Indian Air Force, and other key roles in varied operational environments, the company said.

"Collaborating with Bharat Forge represents a major step in expanding the dual-use operation of Windracers ULTRA. Our partnership will leverage the years of ULTRA research, development, testing and operation, and deliver strategic benefits and operational autonomy for India's defence and civil stakeholders," stated Simon Muderack, CEO of Windracers.