Bharat Forge Partners With Pratt & Whitney for DRDO Drone Program

Diversified engineering group Bharat Forge Ltd has announced a strategic collaboration with aircraft engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney Canada to evaluate the integration of advanced turboprop engines into a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle program designed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation. The partnership marks an expansion of private-sector participation in complex domestic defense manufacturing under the government's Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

High-altitude, long-endurance platforms are engineered to provide extended surveillance, intelligence, and reconnaissance capabilities across both land and maritime domains. The collaborative evaluation targets the exacting operational demands placed on unmanned surveillance hardware operating at high altitudes for extended durations.

Under the terms of the new agreement, Pratt & Whitney Canada will focus on assessing its proprietary turboprop propulsion technology. The manufacturer will examine engine compatibility, performance benchmarks, and specific installation requirements for the DRDO-designed platform, leveraging the established operational legacy of its turboprop engines in demanding military environments.

Bharat Forge will spearhead the complex engineering task of engine-airframe integration. Drawing on its advanced manufacturing and aerospace systems capabilities, the Indian firm will oversee installation design and the configuration of vital systems interfaces.

Corporate leadership emphasized that the partnership is structured to reinforce India's strategic self-reliance and national defense preparedness. By aligning international propulsion technology with domestic systems engineering, the initiative seeks to advance the country's indigenous aerospace sector.

Commenting on the partnership, Bharat Forge Vice Chairman and Joint Managing Director Amit Kalyani stated that combining Pratt & Whitney's globally proven propulsion technologies with Bharat Forge's engineering and systems integration expertise aims to support development of a world-class HALE platform that strengthens India's strategic self-reliance and defense preparedness. Pratt & Whitney Vice President and Country Head Ashish Saraf added that the collaboration reflects continued commitment to supporting India's aerospace and defense ambitions.

The DRDO High Altitude Long Endurance unmanned aerial vehicle program targets a 5-tonne platform capable of carrying a 2-tonne payload for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance operations. The UAV is designed to operate at altitudes exceeding 35,000 feet with an endurance exceeding 25 hours.

Proposed variants, including a Single Engine Twin Boom design, feature a maximum take-off weight between 4,800 and 5,700 kilograms and a payload capacity of 2,000 kg. Implementation timelines and subsequent engineering milestones remain subject to ongoing technical evaluation phases between Bharat Forge and Pratt & Whitney Canada.