First batch of missiles flagged off from BrahMos Aerospace’s new Lucknow facility, boosting India’s defence self-reliance
New Delhi: As India rolled out the first batch of BrahMos missiles manufactured at the new BrahMos Integration and Testing Facility Centre under the Uttar Pradesh Defence Corridor in Lucknow, defence minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday asserted that every inch of Pakistan’s territory is now within the range of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.
“What happened in Operation Sindoor was just a trailer. But that trailer alone made Pakistan realise that if India could give birth to Pakistan, then when the time comes, it can... I don’t need to say more, you all are wise enough to understand,” said Singh. He added that Operation Sindoor proved that victory has become India’s habit, and the country must continue to enhance its defence capabilities.
Singh, along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, flagged off the first batch of BrahMos missiles manufactured at the BrahMos Aerospace unit in Sarojini Nagar. The facility is expected to produce 100 missiles annually.
The defence minister described BrahMos as not just a missile but a symbol of India’s growing indigenous defence capabilities. “The missile features a traditional warhead and an advanced guidance system and possesses the capability to strike long distances at supersonic speeds. This combination of speed, accuracy, and power makes BrahMos one of the best systems in the world. It has become the backbone of our Armed Forces,” he said.
Highlighting the role of BrahMos in Operation Sindoor, Singh noted that the missile has moved far beyond the trial stage and has become a practical proof of India’s national security strength.
He underlined that India today stands at a point where it is strengthening its security and establishing itself as a credible global partner in defence and technology. “Achievements such as BrahMos prove that ‘Made in India’ is no longer just a slogan but a global brand. Whether it’s the export of BrahMos to the Philippines or future collaborations with other countries, India is now a giver, not just a taker. This is the true spirit of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, the vision with which Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government began its journey in 2014,” he said.
Singh added that Prime Minister Modi’s vision is to make India a fully developed, self-reliant global leader by 2047, and the defence sector will play a decisive role in achieving that goal.
The minister also revealed that the BrahMos team had signed contracts worth around ₹4,000 crore with two countries in the past month. He said that experts from various nations would soon visit Lucknow, transforming the city into a centre of knowledge and defence innovation. “The turnover of the BrahMos Lucknow unit is expected to reach ₹3,000 crore in the next financial year, with GST collections of around ₹500 crore,” he noted.
The 200-acre BrahMos Integration and Testing Facility Centre, built at a cost of ₹380 crore, is expected to produce about 100 missile systems each year. Singh described the project as not just a defence asset but also a catalyst for employment and development. “With the rapid investments coming into Uttar Pradesh and the state’s growing progress, the region is poised to become a symbol of a new era of both development and defence,” he said.
Referring to recent concerns over global defence spare-part supply chains, Singh stressed the need to strengthen small industries that produce vital components for major weapon systems, to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers. “As technology evolves, supply chains diversify and often depend on other countries. If a country or company stops supplying a part, production halts. We must strengthen our small industries to ensure self-reliance in components like advanced seekers and ramjet engines,” he said.
Calling for a proper roadmap to integrate small entrepreneurs into the defence ecosystem, Singh emphasised that the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor would be fully successful only when small industries grow alongside large enterprises. “I am confident that in the future, Uttar Pradesh will not only become a manufacturing hub but also an epicentre of innovation and employment for entrepreneurs, both big and small,” he concluded.
