BrahMos-NG missile in high demand even before its first model is ready?

BrahMos Aerospace expects to develop the first prototype of its next-generation BrahMos-NG missile by 2029, with higher indigenous content, many new technologies and advanced materials.

BrahMos Aerospace CEO and MD Dr Jaiteerth Joshi said work on the next-generation missile has already begun, and the company has prepared a roadmap for its development.

"We expect to develop this first model by 2029. This new system will have higher indigenous content and will also feature many new technologies and advanced materials,” he said.

Joshi said the project would require extensive research and development, adding that the company was steadily progressing according to its plans.

His remarks come at a time when BrahMos Aerospace is strengthening its production capabilities to meet growing demand from the Indian armed forces and potential international customers.

According to news agency ANI, Joshi revealed that BrahMos Aerospace has received inquiries from several countries interested in acquiring the air-launched version of the BrahMos missile. These countries operate Su-30 aircraft, which has contributed to their interest in the air-launched missile system.

Apart from the existing BrahMos variants, some countries have also expressed interest in the next-generation BrahMos-NG missile.

"However, I would like to tell you that when we are engaging them, we will take requisite clearances from both the partners, that is, the Indian government as well as the Russian government," he was quoted as saying.

The company is setting up what Joshi described as "tech bricks" for specialised technologies needed for the BrahMos-NG programme. He said the development plans had been finalised and the company was making steady progress towards its objectives.

While the first model is expected by 2029, Joshi did not provide a timeline for the missile's operational induction or commercial deliveries.

Joshi also highlighted the performance of the BrahMos missile during Operation Sindoor, describing it as a demonstration of the weapon's capabilities in modern warfare. According to him, the operation had established the missile's effectiveness in complex, high-intensity military operations.

He described BrahMos as a highly advanced first-strike weapon capable of engaging enemy targets accurately while maintaining speed and agility. Joshi also claimed that the missile's characteristics made it difficult for enemy radar and air defence warning systems to detect and track.

"After Operation Sindoor, the incredible versatility of the missile has proven that it is indeed an enigma, a highly evolved, formidable system for today's complex multi-domain, high-intensity kinetic warfare. As India's unparalleled first-strike weapon, BrahMos has validated its power and supremacy as the most lethal weapon in its class and calibre, capable of eliminating adversaries' targets with deadly accuracy while maintaining stealth, swiftness, and agility so that enemy radars could not track it or any air warning, air defence warning systems also could not track it," he was quoted as saying.

BrahMos Aerospace is strengthening its manufacturing network and supply chain to meet increasing requirements for its missile systems.

Joshi said the company's production facilities in Hyderabad, Nagpur, Pilani and Lucknow were operating at full capacity, and deliveries were underway from these locations.

The Lucknow facility is the newest addition to the company's production network.

"We are strengthening the supply chain to meet the growing demand and also build surge capacity in case of any eventuality," Joshi said.

According to Joshi, the growing demand for BrahMos missiles has created opportunities for India's private defence manufacturing industry. BrahMos Aerospace currently works with more than 200 industrial partners, including micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). These companies have been trained and certified to become part of the missile programme's manufacturing and supply chain.