BrahMos Missile Now our Primary Weapon: Navy Chief after Rs 19,000 crore Deal Cleared by Center

Defense News , India :- Indian Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar has declared that the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile will become the primary weapon of the Indian Navy, supplanting older missile systems acquired from other countries. In an interview with ANI, Admiral Kumar stated, "BrahMos will be our primary weapon now as the surface-to-surface missile weapon."

He also indicated that the Indian Air Force and its fighter aircraft might adopt BrahMos as their primary air-to-surface weapon. He praised BrahMos for its evolution in range, capabilities, and lethality, emphasizing that the missile is "a very potent missile."

Admiral Kumar highlighted the advantage of BrahMos being manufactured in India. He noted, "It is made in India, so we are not dependent on anybody else. It can be repaired, and spares are available." This self-reliance, he added, is a significant advantage for the Indian Navy.

"It is a very potent missile, and it has been evolving also, in range capability and so on. So the fact is that it is made in India, so we are not dependent on anybody else. It can be repaired, and spares are available. So it's a great advantage," he said.

The Navy chief's comments follow the Cabinet Committee on Security's clearance of a deal for over 200 BrahMos missiles under a Rs 19,000 crore contract, expected to be signed on March 5. Admiral Kumar made these remarks on the sidelines of the closing ceremony of the Defence Expo in Pune, where he emphasized the significance of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India's quest to achieve self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

During his visit to the Defence Expo, Admiral Kumar visited various stalls of MSMEs involved in defence manufacturing. He praised the exhibition for bringing together several MSMEs, highlighting the importance of developing an ecosystem and environment for indigenization in defence manufacturing.

The Navy Chief said, "This is a unique exhibition. They have been able to bring together several MSMEs... It is very important that we develop the ecosystem and environment for indigenization. Defence Expos facilitate this and encourage indigenous production... MSME expos like this have huge significance. Over 118 contracts have been signed and around 10-12 products have also been approved. There are a lot of things we are getting from MSMEs and startups."

The Defence Expo in Pune saw the participation of a large number of MSMEs, private companies, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratories, and Defence Public Sector Unit (DPSU) setups in Maharashtra. This reflects India's progress towards achieving self-reliance in defence and the integration of Armed Forces' requirements, research and development, and defence production by public and private players.