New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), in a major boost to the Indian Navy’s firepower capabilities, has approved acquisition of more than 200 BRAHMOS extended-range supersonic cruise missiles for deployment on warships, according to media reports. Estimated at around Rs 19,000 crore, the proposed mega deal was reportedly cleared in a committee meeting held on February 21.
In the first week of March, the formal contract will be signed by the BrahMos Aerospace and Ministry of Defence. The Indian Navy has been regularly firing the weapon in its test attacks and deploys the BRAHMOS as a primary weapon system for anti-ship operations.
A joint venture between India’s DRDO and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya in 1998, BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited is primarily responsible for the design, development, production, and marketing of the BRAHMOS missile system, one of the fastest cruise missiles in the world. The supersonic cruise missiles can be fired from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms, which makes them a highly versatile weapon.
BrahMos Aerospace has indigenised the BRAHMOS missile in a big way and more parts are being indigenised. In many test-firings, BRAHMOS missiles with a high level of local content have been used. Currently, the missile is being equipped with an indigenous seeker. India has also started the export of the BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines, two years after the two countries signed a deal worth almost $375 million. Many other countries in the Southeast Asian region have also showed major interest in the missile system. According to various reports, these countries are looking at the possibility of deploying the BRAHMOS in multiple ways.
The approval for BRAHMOS missile acquisition comes days after the defence ministry approved a proposal to procure nine maritime surveillance aircraft for the Indian Navy and six maritime patrol aircraft for the Indian Coast Guard. The proposed acquisition involves the construction of 15 maritime patrol planes, which will be based on C-295 transport aircraft that are being manufactured in India in a joint venture between Tata Advanced Systems and Airbus. The estimated value of these projects stands at a whopping Rs 29,000 crore. The transport aircraft would be equipped with the required radars and sensors and turned into a maritime patrol plane by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS).
The government set a $5-billion target for BRAHMOS sale to other countries. As of now, the BrahMos Aerospace, is working towards meeting that export target by 2025. India’s defence industry expects that the success of BRAHMOS with partner nations will open many more doors for India to sell other successful weapon systems such as the Akash, ATAGS howitzers, etc., among others. To match global competition, work is currently on to further improve the hardware quality of the BRAHMOS. In the recent past, more and more Indian weapon systems have been showcased in foreign countries and few PSUs have also set up sales and support offices in countries where prospective markets seem to exist.
