Defence Minister Rajnath Singh virtually inaugurated a new BrahMos supersonic cruise missile production unit in Lucknow on Sunday, May 11.
The facility, part of the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor, represents a significant milestone in bolstering India’s indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities.
Constructed at a cost of Rs 300 crore, the production unit is designed to manufacture between 80 and 100 BrahMos missiles annually. Developed by BrahMos Aerospace-a joint venture between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya-the BrahMos missile is a precision-strike weapon with a range of 290 to 400 km and capable of flying at speeds up to Mach 2.8.
In addition to the current version, the unit will also produce 100 to 150 next-generation BrahMos missiles each year. The upgraded variant will be significantly lighter, weighing 1,290 kg compared to the original 2,900 kg, and will feature an extended strike range exceeding 300 km. This reduction in weight will enable platforms like the Sukhoi fighter jet, which currently carries one missile, to be equipped with up to three of the new versions.
