BrahMos Aerospace chief Jayatirtha Joshi on Thursday said Russia is keen to induct the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and talks are on to scale up its production to meet future needs. Speaking to ANI in Nagpur after flagging off the 100th indigenous booster manufactured by Solar Industries India Ltd, Joshi said Moscow has shown interest in the missile even though it already has industrial partners associated with the BrahMos programme.
On the question whether Russia can include BrahMos in its army, Joshi said that talks are going on. “This is what they have said… My joint managing director has said that the Russian government is willing to take it, but they have their own established industrial partners. However, they want to increase the requirement as per the current situation. As the situation is, they can take it. We are in talks with them,” he said.
Asked whether future missiles for Russia would be supplied from India, Joshi indicated that Indian industry could play a role in enhancing Russia’s existing production capacity. “They have the facility, but that facility may not be enough… to scale it up… we will work together; we will work and supply it from India,” he said.
These things have been said at a time when BrahMos is getting more attention at the international level after success in exports and operational deployment. This missile has been jointly developed by India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM). Joshi said the recognition of the ‘fastest supersonic missile’ has been achieved over 25 years of development, testing and operational deployment, which has increased the confidence of potential buyers.
Live test conducted during ‘Operation Sindoor’
Referring to the first combat validation of the missile, Joshi talked about its operational use during ‘Operation Sindoor’.
He said, “We did it… Normally, we test on the ground and do simulated tests from ships and so on. But during ‘Operation Sindoor’, the live test was done, and it was such a success that the entire country and the world knows about. And it is a huge achievement for the people. Normally, ready-made missiles are not tested in live conditions; this is the first of its kind where we were able to test the missile against the enemy.”
This statement of the BrahMos chief has come at a time when talks with Vietnam regarding exports are in the final stages. Joshi told ANI that only a few approvals are required before the deal can be completed, and talks are also going on with several other countries in the eastern and western regions. BrahMos is one of India’s most important defense export opportunities as New Delhi seeks to increase its presence in the global arms market by strengthening domestic defense manufacturing under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative.