Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday oversaw a virtual BrahMos missile strike executed by an Indian Air Force Su-30 fighter jet from the BrahMos Aerospace production complex in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. The landmark event marked the official despatch of the first batch of fully indigenous BrahMos missiles manufactured at the new facility.

Singh was joined by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak during the ceremony. Together, they flagged off a convoy of trucks carrying the inaugural locally built missiles, symbolising a major leap forward in India’s self-reliance in advanced defence manufacturing.

The Defence Minister and the Chief Minister also inaugurated the newly constructed Booster and Warhead building, key infrastructure essential for large-scale missile production. As part of the green initiative accompanying the event, both leaders planted a sapling within the BrahMos Aerospace campus.

In a symbolic handover, DRDO Chairman Dr Samir V Kamat and BrahMos Aerospace Director General Jaiteerth R Joshi presented the GST Bill of the first missiles produced in Lucknow to the Defence Minister and Chief Minister. The move officially signified the start of operational production at the state-of-the-art unit, underscoring the growing synergy between India’s defence research agencies and industrial infrastructure.

This development follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s August announcement confirming that the BrahMos missiles would be manufactured in Uttar Pradesh as part of a broader vision to bolster India’s defence ecosystem under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. Addressing a public rally in Varanasi, the Prime Minister had lauded India’s missile and air defence capabilities showcased during Operation Sindoor, which demonstrated the effectiveness of indigenous weapon systems against Pakistani aerial and missile threats.

During the four-day conflict that followed the Pahalgam terror attack, the BrahMos missile played a pivotal operational role. Jointly designed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, the supersonic cruise missile was extensively employed by the Indian Air Force to strike Pakistan’s military infrastructure. Its precision attacks destroyed key enemy air bases and army cantonments, significantly crippling Pakistan’s retaliatory capability.

BrahMos missiles were also central to the initial phase of India’s counter-terror operations targeting Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Toiba headquarters in Punjab province. The weapon’s combination of speed, accuracy, and reliability reaffirmed India’s technological prowess and strengthened the credibility of its indigenous missile programme. President Modi later highlighted this success as a testament to the nation’s defence self-sufficiency and strategic resolve.

The operational commencement of BrahMos missile production in Lucknow marks a new era in India’s defence industrialisation, reinforcing its position as a major producer of next-generation precision weapons. The facility is expected to contribute substantially to both domestic requirements and future export commitments, helping India cement its status as a key player in the global defence manufacturing landscape.

Based On ANI Report