Indian Army And Air Force To Acquire Advanced BrahMos Missiles With 800-Km Range After Cabinet Approval

In a big boost to India's defence capabilities, the Indian Air Force and Army are to be equipped with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles with an extended range of more than 800 kilometres, ANI reported.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has sanctioned a proposal to procure about 250 of the advanced land-attack missiles, defence sources told ANI. The proposal will now be taken to the Cabinet Committee on Security for approval.

These missiles will be included in the units that operate the missiles and will be deployed in desert and high-altitude regions, as confirmed by sources.

Earlier, BrahMos missiles were limited in their range to 300 km only, but recent developments have significantly increased their reach, making them a force multiplier.

This purchase fits into a larger strategy, with the Indian Navy also set to receive a comparable batch of BrahMos missiles.

The BrahMos programme, one of India's most successful collaborative defence initiatives, has for many years been Russian-dominated.

Yet indigenisation efforts have been picking up steam, with the major components now being locally developed, in collaboration with the private sector.

The missile system has also received foreign buyers, with the Philippines as its first export customer.

The BrahMos Aerospace, under its new management, is also planning on BrahMos Next Generation missiles, which would be manufactured in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

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