Defence cooperation is an important keystone of the India-Russia strategic partnership. The longstanding time-tested relationship is guided by the programme for Military Technical Cooperation signed between the two nations to further develop and strengthen the defence requirements of the two countries. The synergistic defence and military-technical relationship has progressed from a purely buyer-seller relationship to joint research, design development and production of state-of-the-art military platforms.
The BRAHMOS missile, a unique example of such a successful joint venture (JV), between India’s Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s JSC MIC NPO Mashinostroyeniya (NPOM), has carved a distinct place for itself in the Indian Armed Forces. India and Russia have made impressive strides in jointly developing the high-technology BRAHMOS. The weapon stands out as the only Universal supersonic cruise missile system in the whole BRAHMOS with a fine combination of speed, precision and power, has three times more velocity, 2.5 to 3 times more flight range, three to four times more seeker range and nine times more kinetic energy than any existing subsonic cruise missiles. The multi-platform, multi-target cruise missile, carrying a conventional warhead weighing 200 to 300 kg, is capable of flying up to 290-km at a top speed of around Mach 3.
The speed, precision and power of BRAHMOS, which can be launched from multiple platforms, has made it an ultimate force multiplier and an unparalleled system. The advanced weapon system, with its versatility, potentiality and striking capability, has successfully maintained a leading edge over world’s other missiles systems.
The Indian Army, Navy and Air force have already inducted the potent cruise missile system, while the air-launched version was test-fired for the first time in 2017 from a modified Su-30MKI fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force.
The supersonic cruise missile system has also set precedence by successfully establishing a robust Missile Industrial Complex in both India and Russia. It is the untiring efforts and competent leadership of the entire team of BrahMos, including the consortium of more than 206 Indian industries and multiple Russian industries, research and development (R&D) labs and academic institutions of both the countries, which have made significant contribution in design, development, production and induction of BRAHMOS missile in the defence arsenal.
The Indian industries have contributed to this JV project as much as the Russian industries. In fact, it is the best of scientific and engineering minds from both India and Russia which have made BRAHMOS the world’s best supersonic cruise missile system.
Today, with numerous launches from various platforms, each achieving technological prowess with continuous upgrades, BRAHMOS is a system par excellence. BrahMos is supplying the missile system to all three wings of Indian Armed Forces and undertaking continuous performance improvements, upgradation and complete life cycle support to the users.