SOURCE: AFI
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Dr. Sudhir Kumar Mishra, former CEO & MD of BrahMos Aerospace, has emphasized the crucial need for India to accelerate exports of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile in order to fund the development of next-generation variants of the weapon system. Speaking at the CNN-News18 Defence Townhall, Dr. Mishra highlighted that sustained sales to friendly nations are not only economically vital but also strategically essential to ensure the continued technological edge of the missile system.
“India must sell more BrahMos missiles,” Dr. Mishra asserted, “not just for economic benefits, but to maintain its credibility and fund critical R&D for newer, more advanced variants that can stay ahead of evolving threats and interception technologies.”
BrahMos, a joint venture between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, has already earned a reputation as one of the fastest and most reliable cruise missiles in the world. With a range of 290–450 km depending on the variant, and speeds reaching Mach 2.8 to 3.0, the missile system has been a key pillar of India’s deterrence capability across land, sea, and air platforms.
In recent years, India has begun leveraging BrahMos as a major defence export product, most notably securing a landmark $375 million contract with the Philippines for shore-based anti-ship BrahMos batteries. Other Southeast Asian and Latin American countries have also shown strong interest, recognizing the system’s unique combination of speed, precision, and versatility.
Dr. Mishra pointed out that the revenues from such deals are vital to continue upgrading BrahMos and keeping it “uninterceptable” in the future battlespace. As adversaries invest heavily in layered missile defence systems and hypersonic technologies, India must ensure that BrahMos remains ahead of the curve.
“There is no weapon that is invincible,” he acknowledged, “but the goal is to make it as difficult as possible for anyone to intercept BrahMos, even ten or fifteen years down the line. For that, we must invest in next-gen propulsion, stealth, and terminal manoeuvrability—and that requires money.”
BrahMos Aerospace is reportedly working on multiple future variants, including an extended-range version exceeding 800 km, a hypersonic BrahMos-II, and air-launched and submarine-launched derivatives that would further enhance India’s strategic flexibility.
Dr. Mishra’s remarks come at a time when India is intensifying efforts to become a net defence exporter, with a target of achieving 35,000 crore in annual defence exports by 2025. The BrahMos missile, being a flagship high-end system already fielded and combat-ready, is seen as a key contributor to this goal.
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