Former Army Chief General JJ Singh has recalled the extraordinary precision of the BrahMos missile even during its testing phase, emphasising that it had the capability to strike with such accuracy that it could have gone through the window of the Pakistan Prime Minister’s office, The Tribune reported.

Singh, who approved the induction of the missile into the Indian Army in 2007, reflected on the surge in popularity of the system and the circumstances surrounding its acceptance.

He recounted how President APJ Abdul Kalam, who had earlier led the Defence Research and Development Organisation, personally handed him a replica of the BrahMos missile system to symbolise its induction. 

General Singh explained that he had witnessed the trials at the Pokhran ranges and was convinced of its accuracy, leading to his approval for its formal induction into the Army.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Defence on 21 June 2007 confirmed that President Kalam had handed over the replica to General Singh, marking the commencement of deliveries of the supersonic cruise missile to the Army. At the event, Kalam had urged aggressive marketing of the missile, predicting that BrahMos would become the market leader in hypersonic cruise missile technology.

The Indian Navy had already inducted the anti-ship variant of BrahMos in 2005, but adapting the system for the Army required overcoming significant terrain-related challenges. Ground forces needed a missile capable of navigating complex landscapes, identifying specific targets amidst civilian infrastructure, and surviving hostile air defence systems.

To meet these stringent requirements, the missile underwent rigorous user trials, including final tests that demonstrated its ability to follow terrain-hugging trajectories and strike with pinpoint precision.

The induction of BrahMos in 2007 fundamentally altered India’s deterrence posture along its borders. Before its arrival, the Army’s deep-strike capabilities were limited to strike aircraft and heavy rocket artillery, which had a maximum range of 75 kilometres.

BrahMos extended this reach to 290 kilometres, enabling commanders to neutralise enemy command centres, air defence radars, and logistics hubs within minutes of a launch order. This leap in capability provided India with a decisive conventional edge and reshaped the calculus of regional deterrence.

The missile’s induction also marked a turning point in India’s defence modernisation, showcasing the country’s ability to field world-class systems that combined indigenous innovation with international collaboration.

The BrahMos has since become a symbol of India’s technological prowess and strategic resolve, underpinning its growing reputation as a credible arms exporter and a nation capable of setting new benchmarks in precision strike capability.

Agencies