Nalwa Aero.
Punjab-based aerospace startup receives recognition from the century-old Institution of Engineers (India), strengthening its mission to develop indigenous next-generation electric aircraft for civil and defence applications.
In a significant recognition of India's growing capabilities in advanced aerospace research, Nalwa Aero Private Limited, a Punjab-based electric aircraft development company, has received the prestigious Best Paper Award at the 39th National Convention of Aerospace Engineering (NCAE 2026), organised by The Institution of Engineers (India) in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on 23-24 October 2026.
The award recognises Nalwa Aero's research paper titled "A Prandtl - Plane Box-Wing Configuration for Advanced Air Mobility", which explores an unconventional aircraft architecture inspired by the pioneering aerodynamic principles of Ludwig Prandtl, widely regarded as the father of modern aerodynamics.
Recognition from a Century-Old Engineering Institution
Established in 1920 and incorporated under a Royal Charter in 1935, The Institution of Engineers (India) is one of the country's oldest and largest multidisciplinary professional engineering bodies. With a legacy spanning more than a century, the Institution has contributed significantly to advancing engineering knowledge, research and professional excellence in India.
Receiving the Best Paper Award at its National Aerospace Engineering Convention represents an important recognition of Nalwa Aero's original research and its efforts to translate advanced aerodynamic concepts into practical aircraft development.
The convention brought together distinguished aerospace scientists, researchers, engineers and representatives of India's aerospace ecosystem to discuss emerging technologies and the future of aviation and space exploration.
Reviving a Century-Old Aerodynamic Concept for Next-Generation Aircraft
Nalwa Aero's research focuses on the Prandtl-inspired Box-Wing configuration, an unconventional aerodynamic architecture connecting the aircraft's forward and rear wings to form an interconnected lifting system.
Although the underlying aerodynamic principles date back approximately a century, their application to modern electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft presents significant engineering opportunities and challenges.
Nalwa Aero is developing this configuration with electric propulsion and tilting-rotor technology, targeting improvements in aerodynamic efficiency and operational capability for next-generation air mobility.
Preliminary internal aerodynamic studies have indicated the potential for up to 40% improvement in certain aerodynamic efficiency parameters compared with selected conventional aircraft configurations, subject to further experimental validation.
From Scientific Research to Successful Flight Testing
The recognition comes shortly after Nalwa Aero announced the successful preliminary flight testing of its scaled Box-Wing eVTOL aircraft, demonstrating both low-altitude hovering and forward flight using electric propulsion and tilting rotors.
These achievements mark important steps in the company's ongoing research programme, progressing from aerodynamic modelling and engineering design toward experimental flight validation.
Kuljeet Singh Sandhu, Founder and CEO of Nalwa Aero, expressed his appreciation for the recognition:
"For us, this award is much more than a certificate of achievement. It is recognition of our conviction that fundamental scientific research can inspire transformative aerospace technologies. When we decided to pursue the unconventional Box-Wing architecture, we knew the engineering challenges would be significant. Today, with our research receiving national recognition and our scaled aircraft achieving preliminary flight milestones, our belief in this technological direction has grown even stronger."
He further emphasised the company's commitment to developing indigenous aerospace technologies and contributing to India's vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India and Viksit Bharat 2047.
Building India's Future in Advanced Air Mobility
Nalwa Aero is developing next-generation aircraft technologies for passenger transportation, emergency medical services, cargo logistics and defence applications.
The company continues to advance its research, experimental testing and aircraft development programme with the ambition of establishing India as an important contributor to the emerging global advanced air mobility industry.
The Best Paper Award adds another important milestone to Nalwa Aero's journey-recognising not only its engineering ambitions but also the scientific research underpinning its aircraft development programme.
About Nalwa Aero Private Limited
Nalwa Aero is an Indian aerospace technology company headquartered in Mohali, Punjab, focused on developing next-generation electric and hybrid-electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft. Its research encompasses unconventional aerodynamic configurations, advanced propulsion integration and aircraft technologies for civil and defence applications.
