After BrahMos missiles were battle-tested during Operation Sindoor, demand for the supersonic cruise missiles has surged in the international market, BrahMos Aerospace CEO Dr Jaiteerth R Joshi told India Today in an exclusive interview.
The Philippines was the first foreign customer for BrahMos, Joshi said. Vietnam and Indonesia soon followed.
“After Operation Sindoor, there is huge demand for BrahMos in the international market,” he said.
India used the missile in combat for the first time during Operation Sindoor, deploying the fire-and-forget weapon in precision strikes on Pakistani airbases and key military installations. The strikes were launched as a retaliatory and preemptive measure and inflicted heavy damage.
During the operation, the Indian Air Force fired BrahMos missiles from Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets to strike targets inside Pakistan. Joshi said the missile’s precision and ability to evade enemy radars had demonstrated its capabilities in combat.
“Its precision strikes are being discussed around the world. The missile evaded enemy radars and hit its target accurately. After Operation Sindoor, BrahMos has become the world’s most lethal missile,” he said.
In October last year, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off the first batch of BrahMos missiles manufactured at the Lucknow facility. He said every inch of Pakistan was within the missile’s range and described Operation Sindoor as “just a trailer”.
Joshi also revealed that all three branches of the Indian armed forces were equipped with BrahMos missiles during Operation Sindoor for the first time.
“During Operation Sindoor, all three services were equipped with the BrahMos missile. Thanks to its network-centric capabilities, all three services can use it. It can be launched from land, warships and fighter aircraft,” he said.
NEXT-GENERATION MISSILE, EXTENDED RANGE
BrahMos Aerospace is working to make the missile fully indigenous and expand its capabilities, Joshi said.
The missile was initially developed for the Navy, followed by a land-based version for the Army and an air-launched version for the Sukhoi fighter jets.
“We are now deploying the next-generation version of BrahMos on the Sukhoi. Work is progressing rapidly. We are also increasing the missile’s range,” he said.
The company currently has three production facilities in Pilani, Nagpur and Lucknow, supported by more than 300 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), Joshi said. He added that it was capable of meeting the requirements of all three services.
Joshi said India was also ready to supply BrahMos missiles to the Russian armed forces under an intergovernmental agreement with Russia. Talks were underway in this regard, he added.
- Ends