Pune: Rolls-Royce and Bharat Forge Strengthen Partnership to Manufacture Fan Blades for Pearl 10X Engines

Pune, 16th October 2025: Rolls-Royce has expanded its collaboration with Bharat Forge Limited to locally manufacture and supply fan blades for its advanced Pearl 700 and Pearl 10X aircraft engines, marking a major step forward in strengthening India’s role in the global aerospace supply chain.

The agreement, signed at Rolls-Royce’s Dahlewitz facility near Berlin, reinforces the UK-based engineering company’s long-standing partnership with Bharat Forge — one of India’s leading engineering and manufacturing firms. The move aligns with Rolls-Royce’s goal of doubling its supply chain sourcing from India by 2030 and deepening its contribution to the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Announcing the development, Sashi Mukundan, Executive Vice President – Transformation, Rolls-Royce India, said the partnership reflects a shared vision of advancing India’s manufacturing capabilities in the aerospace sector.

“We are delighted to expand our relationship with Bharat Forge as part of our continued effort to strengthen local partnerships and build world-class manufacturing expertise in India,” Mukundan said. “This agreement embodies our commitment to innovation, collaboration, and the development of high-performance aerospace components that meet global standards.”

Echoing the sentiment, Amit Kalyani, Vice Chairman and Joint Managing Director of Bharat Forge Limited, said the agreement represents a continuation of mutual trust and technological progress.

“This expanded partnership with Rolls-Royce underscores our common pursuit of engineering excellence and long-term collaboration,” Kalyani stated. “We are proud to contribute to the Pearl engine family, which represents the next generation of high-performance aviation technology.”

The two companies first joined hands in 2020, when Bharat Forge began producing components for Rolls-Royce’s Pearl 700 programme. Over the years, the Pune-based company has earned recognition for maintaining top-tier quality and delivery standards, achieving a milestone in 2024 by delivering its first zero-defect fan blade. The new agreement extends Bharat Forge’s role to include the Pearl 10X engine, expanding its contribution to next-generation propulsion systems.

The Pearl 10X is the latest and most powerful member of Rolls-Royce’s Pearl engine family. Designed for large, long-range business jets, it incorporates the highly efficient Advance2 engine core and a high-performance low-pressure system, delivering over 18,000 pounds of thrust with improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions.

Rolls-Royce’s relationship with India spans nine decades, built on joint ventures, knowledge-sharing partnerships with academia, and collaborations across defence and civil aerospace sectors. More than 1,400 Rolls-Royce engines currently power aircraft and vessels operated by the Indian Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, and Army. Across its Indian ecosystem, over 4,000 professionals, including 2,800 engineers, contribute to global design, development, and digital engineering programmes.

Bharat Forge, a key partner in Rolls-Royce’s global supply network, remains the first and only Indian company to manufacture advanced precision fan blades for the Pearl engine series. The company continues to invest in cutting-edge aerospace manufacturing infrastructure and aims to expand its footprint as a trusted supplier to leading Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier-1 partners worldwide.

“We see this as more than a supply agreement — it’s a step toward building India’s future in high-precision aerospace manufacturing,” Kalyani added.

The collaboration is expected to further boost India’s reputation as a hub for aerospace innovation and sustainable manufacturing, enhancing the country’s position in global defence and civil aviation value chains.