Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held discussions with Flying Whales President Sebastien Bougon in Paris on Thursday on the French aerospace logistics company’s plans to establish its ecosystem in India.
Bougon briefed the Finance Minister on Flying Whales’ sustainable public-private partnership (PPP) projects across the world and shared details about the wide range of applications the company serves. He highlighted that Flying Whales contributes to economic development in landlocked regions while reducing the environmental impact of cargo transport. He also conveyed that the company is looking to establish its entire manufacturing ecosystem in India, positioning the country as a key base, according to an official statement.
Sitharaman welcomed Flying Whales’ interest in establishing its ecosystem in India. She informed Bougon about the opportunities available in the country for a company like Flying Whales and encouraged him to engage with India’s vibrant start-up ecosystem operating in this sector, the statement said.
She also highlighted the Indian Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) at GIFT City and the regulatory framework for ship and aircraft leasing, as well as Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services, which could be leveraged by Flying Whales.
Flying Whales and India’s BLP Group had announced the first phase of a strategic partnership on April 2. The collaboration aims to build a comprehensive manufacturing ecosystem for heavy-lift cargo airships in India, positioning the country as a central hub for this next-generation transport technology. The announcement coincided with the summit between French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The companies unveiled plans to assemble the LCA60T, a cargo airship with a 60-tonne payload capacity, for the Asian and Middle Eastern markets.
The LCA60T is a massive 200-metre-long, helium-filled cargo airship designed to transport up to 60 tonnes of payload. Its unique business model focuses on both manufacturing these airships and operating them as an airline-style service to deliver oversized cargo to remote and hard-to-reach locations without requiring conventional ground infrastructure such as runways or heavy-duty roads.
Its primary applications include heavy-lift logistics, such as transporting wind turbine blades, electrical transmission towers and aerospace equipment directly to remote project sites.
The airship can also be used to deliver bulky disaster relief supplies, medical aid and military equipment to areas where traditional roads and bridges have been damaged or do not exist.
IANS
