In a significant boost to defence exports, India is poised to deliver the 4th battery of land-based BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines today. This move comes amid escalating tensions fueled by Chinese assertions in the South China Sea.
It is known that 3 batteries of BrahMos missiles have already been delivered to the island nation, with a fourth en route to Manila as part of the USD 375 million agreement signed by the two allies in 2022. Each battery consists of four launchers, each equipped with three missiles with a range of 290 km. These launchers are mounted on mobile platforms to enhance the survivability of the conventional deterrent. Due to its supersonic speed, the missile poses significant challenges for interception by both land and ship-based Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) systems.
India’s Defence Export After The BrahMos Deal
The BrahMos deal with the Philippines has contributed to India’s defence exports reaching ₹21083 crores in the fiscal year 2023-2024, marking an impressive 32.5% year-on-year growth compared to the previous fiscal period. With its established track record, BrahMos is anticipated to attract additional orders for supersonic missiles in the coming years.
What is BrahMos Missile?
The BrahMos, also known as PJ-10, is a versatile medium-range supersonic cruise missile jointly developed by India’s DRDO and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, forming BrahMos Aerospace. It can be launched from submarines, ships, fighter aircraft, or TEL. Named after the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers, it’s based on the P-800 Oniks. Land and ship-launched versions are in service, with an air-launched variant operational since 2019. Plans include developing longer-range versions and a hypersonic missile, BrahMos-II, likely based on the Zircon.
The necessity for BrahMos arose primarily during the Gulf War in 1991. Consequently, an agreement was signed in 1998 between India and Russia, with Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, who led the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation), and NV Mikhailov, the then Deputy Defence Minister of Russia, playing pivotal roles.
Future Prospects
India is making significant strides in missile exports. The Narendra Modi government is exploring establishing a joint venture between Mazagon Dockyards Limited and the French Naval Group. The aim is to produce Scorpene-class diesel-electric submarines in Mumbai and supply them to third countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia. Presently, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan is in France for discussions with the Naval Group and the Emmanuel Macron government. The goal is to explore synergies between Indian and French supply chains for manufacturing advanced conventional and non-conventional sub-surface platforms in India under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative. The Indian Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) is expected to visit the French submarine base at Brest, with potential plans to also visit Toulouse, as part of efforts to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation between India and France. Furthermore, ongoing discussions between the French Naval Group and MDL involve the potential construction of three additional Kalveri (modified Scorpene) class submarines for India, indicating a deepening collaboration in naval defence capabilities.
India is currently assessing its alternatives as the P-5 powers employ nuclear-powered conventionally armed attack submarines (SSNs) for deterrence and access denial. These options range from producing SSNs for bolstering long-term maritime security to considering alternatives such as lithium battery technology, air-independent propulsion, conventional diesel-electric submarines, and underwater armed drones. These strategies are anticipated to be further developed during Modi 3.0.
Also Read: Police Working to Establish Connections in Attack Case on AP CM Jagan Mohan Reddy
