BrahMos Aerospace is undertaking a comprehensive modernisation initiative to develop next-generation missile variants that will significantly expand India's offensive and defensive capabilities across multiple combat domains.

According to Dr Jaiteerth Raghavendra Joshi, the chairman and managing director of BrahMos Aerospace, the organisation is simultaneously pursuing several ground breaking programs that represent a substantial technological leap forward for India's indigenous defence manufacturing sector.​

The most immediate priority involves the development of a sleeker variant specifically designed for integration with India's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft, the TEJAS. This initiative addresses a critical operational requirement by reducing the missile's diameter and weight, enabling the Tejas to serve as a potent long-range strike platform.

The lighter configuration will allow the aircraft to carry multiple missiles whilst maintaining optimal aerodynamic performance. This development is particularly significant because the Tejas represents India's self-reliance endeavour in fighter aircraft manufacturing, and equipping it with an advanced supersonic cruise missile transforms it into a formidable weapons system capable of both land and naval strike missions.​

In parallel, BrahMos Aerospace is pursuing the development of submarine-launched variants through diameter reduction initiatives. This technological advancement has already been demonstrated through successful test firings from submerged platforms in 2013, when the missile was successfully launched from a submerged barge, marking a milestone in India's submarine-launched capability.

The new submarine-launched configurations under development will maintain the missile's supersonic characteristics whilst accommodating the dimensional constraints imposed by submarine torpedo tubes and vertical launch systems.​

The most transformative initiative, however, centres on the development of hypersonic missile variants. These advanced systems represent the next generation of India's cruise missile technology and are expected to operate at speeds significantly exceeding the current BrahMos platform's Mach 2.8 to 3.0 capability.

The BrahMos-II hypersonic variant is being designed to reach speeds between Mach 7 and Mach 8, making it substantially faster and more difficult to intercept than existing systems. This program is being powered by DRDO's recently tested scramjet engine technology, which successfully demonstrated sustained combustion for over 1,000 seconds during ground trials in April 2025.

The hypersonic program represents a collaborative effort between India's Defence Research and Development Organisation and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyenia, maintaining the proven partnership model that has characterised BrahMos development since its inception.​

The integration of these advanced propulsion systems with cutting-edge guidance technologies and stealth design principles is creating a weapons platform with unmatched operational versatility.

The BrahMos-II is expected to feature advanced stealth shaping, radar-absorbent coatings, and active trajectory-modulation algorithms to minimise detection during hypersonic flight, whilst maintaining pinpoint accuracy through the incorporation of India's G3OM navigation module.

The system is anticipated to carry conventional warheads weighing between 200 and 300 kilogrammes, with an operational range of approximately 1,500 kilometres.​

This human capital deficit represents a potential bottleneck for the scaling of production capacity required to meet both domestic armed forces requirements and emerging export opportunities.

The integration of advanced technologies into missile systems demands personnel with highly specialised knowledge across multiple technical domains, and the current educational and training infrastructure may be insufficient to meet rapidly escalating industrial demands.​

Within this context, Telangana's strategic positioning as a defence manufacturing hub assumes paramount importance. The state has established itself as a centre of aerospace and defence excellence, hosting multiple DRDO laboratories, significant defence public sector undertakings, and an extensive ecosystem of micro, small, and medium enterprises supporting both sectors. The state's manufacturing depth and established infrastructure provide the foundation upon which next-generation missile production capabilities can be established.​

Bharat Dynamics Limited, India's primary indigenous missile manufacturer, articulated a complementary strategic perspective during the panel discussion. According to Commodore A Madhav Rao (retired), the CMD of BDL, the forthcoming decade will be characterised by high-volume missile production and enhanced export readiness.

He emphasised the necessity for an expanded network of testing and validation facilities to reduce the defence sector's dependence on DRDO laboratories and thereby accelerate production timelines. The rising international interest in Indian missile systems, particularly amongst nations concerned with regional security challenges, necessitates manufacturing capacity that matches established global standards and delivery timelines.

Commodore Madhav Rao highlighted that this expansion encompasses not merely quantitative increases in production volume but qualitative improvements in manufacturing sophistication, supply chain integration, and quality assurance protocols.​

BDL's own capacity augmentation initiatives underscore this commitment to scaling production. The company has recently doubled the monthly production of the Akash surface-to-air missile from approximately 50 to 100 units, demonstrating substantial operational capacity.

The establishment of new manufacturing facilities at Jhansi within the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor and the expansion of existing facilities at the unit in Hyderabad will provide additional manufacturing capacity for both the Akash system and other advanced missile platforms.

Notably, BDL has invested in backward integration capabilities, establishing specialised facilities for surface-mounted assembly, seeker manufacturing, warhead production, and high-temperature carbon composite fabrication. Such vertical integration enhances production resilience by reducing dependence on external suppliers for critical components.​

The convergence of multiple technological initiatives—hypersonic missile development, advanced submarine launch capabilities, lightweight air-launch variants, expanded production capacity, enhanced testing infrastructure, and private sector participation—reflects a comprehensive strategic approach to modernising India's defence manufacturing capabilities.

The initiatives announced at the Telangana Rising Global Summit 2025 demonstrate that India's defence sector is transitioning from a production-oriented model towards an innovation-led ecosystem capable of competing in global markets whilst meeting demanding domestic security requirements.

Based On New Indian Express Report