Bharat Forge Limited (BFL) and Windracers Limited (UK) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at DSEI UK 2025 in London.
- Objective: Deployment, localisation, and operational use of Windracers ULTRA Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in India.
Key Highlights
Partnership Scope:
- Initial two-year term → joint trials, localisation, and roadmap for full-scale deployment.
- Focus on defence and civilian applications, including:
- Carrier On Board Delivery (COD) for Indian Navy.
- High-altitude supply chains for Army & Air Force.
- Logistics operations across inaccessible terrains.
UAV Capabilities (ULTRA):
- Proven in Antarctic research missions & global deployments.
- Payload capacity: industry-leading (dual-use)
- Operational endurance: 6–7 hours.
- Suitable for naval, air, and land operations.
- Can function in high-altitude (Himalayas), maritime zones, remote terrains, and Northeast India.
Strategic Significance
- Supports India’s Ministry of Defence 15-year roadmap prioritising:
- Unmanned logistics.
- Naval operations.
- Dual-use technologies.
- Advances India–UK Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and India–UK Vision 2035 by promoting aerospace tech transfer.
About Bharat Forge
- Headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.
- Global leader in forging and advanced engineering.
- Operates 18 production facilities across 5 countries.
- Supplies automotive, military, aviation, energy, railways, maritime, and infrastructure sectors.
About Windracers Limited (UK)
- Specialises in autonomous cargo drones.
- Manufacturer of ULTRA UAV, designed for dual-purpose logistics & research.
- Known for deployment in Antarctic scientific missions.
DSEI (Defence and Security Equipment International)
- World’s leading defence and security exhibition.
- Held biennially in London, UK.
- Platform for showcasing global defence technology collaborations.
India’s UAV Roadmap
- Ministry of Defence emphasizes indigenous UAV development under Atmanirbhar Bharat.
- UAV applications: surveillance, reconnaissance, disaster relief, logistics, & border management.
- India already operates indigenous UAVs like Rustom, Nishant, Tapas-BH-201, and imports drones like Heron (Israel) and Predator MQ-9B (USA).
India–UK Defence Cooperation
- Formalised under India–UK Defence and International Security Partnership (DISP), 2015.
- Enhanced in India–UK Vision 2035, focusing on:
- Defence industrial collaboration.
- Joint technology transfer.
- Maritime security in the Indo-Pacific.
Carrier On Board Delivery (COD)
- Naval logistics missions involving transport of critical supplies, spare parts, and medicines to warships at sea.
- UAV-based COD enhances operational reach and reduces dependency on manned flights.