Bharat Forge, Pratt & Whitney join hands for India’s HALE program: What it means for India’s UAV push | Today’s news
An Indian firm and a US defense major on Tuesday announced a collaboration to support the development of India’s high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), news agency PTI reported.
In a joint statement, Bharat Forge and Pratt & Whitney Canada said they will evaluate the integration of advanced turboprop engines into the HALE UAV, which is being designed and developed under the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) program.
The collaboration brings together Pratt & Whitney Canada’s propulsion technology and Bharat Forge’s engineering and systems integration capabilities as India seeks to expand its indigenous UAV ecosystem.
What this collaboration means for India’s UAV program
India’s unmanned aerial vehicle program is expanding towards domestic development, heavy-lift logistics and advanced strike capabilities under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
The Bharat Forge-Pratt & Whitney Canada partnership focuses on one of the critical elements of the HALE platform: propulsion. Evaluation of advanced turboprop engines could support the development of a long-endurance platform designed for sustained high-altitude operations.
“The Bharat Forge Aerospace business is proud to partner with Pratt & Whitney Canada to develop India’s own aerospace and defense manufacturing capabilities,” said Amit Kalyani, vice-chairman and joint managing director of Bharat Forge Ltd., according to PTI.
“By combining Pratt & Whitney’s globally proven propulsion technologies with Bharat Forge’s engineering and systems integration expertise, we aim to support the development of a world-class HALE platform that enhances India’s strategic self-sufficiency and defense readiness,” he said.
Ashish Saraf, vice president and country director, Pratt & Whitney, said the collaboration reflects the company’s continued commitment to supporting India’s aerospace and defense ambitions.
“Pratt & Whitney Canada’s turboprop engines have proven reliability in demanding operating environments, which is exactly what India’s HALE program needs,” he said, according to PTI.
India’s Expanding Drone Ecosystem
The collaboration comes as India seeks to build a larger domestic drone manufacturing ecosystem and reduce its reliance on imports.
India is also moving towards greater domestic production through initiatives such as a ₹A contract worth $1,577 million involving Tata Advanced Systems and NIBE, as well as a planned procurement of military drones worth more than $2 billion from domestic firms.
India increasingly sees drones as an integral part of its defense strategy, with recent conflicts highlighting their use in reconnaissance, strike operations, logistics and counter-drone missions, according to think tank Shrical Insights.
The expansion is also reflected in the growing number of companies operating in the industry. According to the think tank, India now has more than 600 drone-related companies, including more than 100 defense-focused firms, creating a larger industrial base for military UAVs, components and related technologies.
Earlier this year, in March, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh had said that India must work in mission mode to become a global hub for domestic drone production in the coming years.
Addressing the National Defense Industries Conclave in New Delhi, Singh emphasized the need to build a drone manufacturing ecosystem to ensure strategic autonomy, enhance defense preparedness and Aatmanirbhar country amid geopolitical uncertainties.
Why HALE drones are important for India
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The pursuit of high-altitude, long-endurance drones has gained importance following lengthy military standoffs along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
HALE platforms can provide continuous high-resolution surveillance over mountainous terrain, making them relevant for monitoring difficult and remote areas.
India is also looking at unmanned systems for logistics. The Ministry of Defense (MoD) has issued a request for information (RFI) for the procurement of 2,715 logistics drones for the Indian Army.
If the proposal moves forward, it would be the military’s largest order for logistics drones to date and could represent a significant expansion of the use of unmanned systems for military supply operations.
India is increasingly relying on unmanned systems
Recent military operations and conflicts have also shaped the expanding focus on UAVs.
Drones played an essential role in Operation Sindoor, India’s tri-service military response launched on 7 May 2025 following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Pakistan used drones targeting Indian cities which were effectively neutralized.
Meanwhile, India used kamikaze and suicide drones, including the Harpy, Harop and Sky Striker platforms, to target tactical positions, aircraft hangars and radar sites, according to a Press Information Bureau (PIB) report.
The report said the munitions lying around were used to target high-value assets, including enemy radars and missile systems.
The bigger strategic picture
In August 2026, India signed a $203 million, 30-month contract with General Atomics to lease two MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones for the Indian Navy’s maritime surveillance operations.
The government said the deal will “significantly enhance” the Indian Navy’s maritime domain awareness capabilities and enhance its “ability to monitor and respond to developments in the Indian Ocean region”.
The deal comes at a time when India and China are waging a strategic battle for influence in the Indian Ocean region.
In this context, Bharat Forge-Pratt & Whitney Canada’s collaboration on DRDO’s HALE UAV program represents another step in India’s expanding unmanned systems ecosystem.
While the immediate focus is on evaluating propulsion integration, the program comes amid a broader push to develop its own drone manufacturing capabilities.
