Even as the battle-proven BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is attracting global attention, with the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia signing export deals with India, the Indo-Russian joint venture (JV) BrahMos Aerospace, which produces the missile, could be heading for a restructuring.
According to a report by The New Indian Express, the restructuring plan, which comes even as the JV is scaling up to meet increased demand for the missiles, including from overseas customers, includes changes in the board and bringing more research and development (R&D) and engineering work in-house.
During a recent meeting, one of the proposals that came up was letting go of the Director General (Missiles and Strategic Systems)—DG (MSS)—of DRDO from the Indian side of the joint venture and establishing a dedicated engineering team within the company.
It is to be noted that BrahMos Aerospace was formed by DRDO and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyenia.
Sources cited by the TNIE report also said there is a plan to split the post of chairman of BrahMos Aerospace and director General (BrahMos) into two. However, the representation from the Russian side is expected to remain unchanged.
“BrahMos Aerospace is now running four plants, supplying all three services and working against fixed export delivery schedules. It needs a structure suited to a production company rather than one designed around a development programme," a source has been quoted as saying.
However, there are also concerns regarding the proposal, as some feel that removing the DG (MSS) could possibly lead to the weakening of the link with the DRDO labs, which had provided much of the design base, manpower, and testing infrastructure for the programme.
Earlier, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had praised the role played by BrahMos in Operation Sindoor, saying the missile demonstrated that it has moved far beyond a trial and has become the greatest practical proof of national security.
