LUCKNOW: Amid rising tension between India and Pakistan, India is poised to sharpen its military edge with a major boost to its strategic capabilities. In a significant development, the production of BrahMos, one of the most powerful supersonic cruise missiles, is set to begin in Lucknow, one of the six nodes of the UP Defence Corridor.
BrahMos missile manufacturing unit which has come out at an investment of Rs 300 crore will officially be inaugurated on May 11.
Set up by BrahMos Aerospace, the unit marks a major stride toward self-reliance in defence. In December 2021, the investor was provided 80 hectares of land free of cost. The unit has been completed in just 3.5 years.
Shrihari Pratap Shahi, ACEO of Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), said the state government not only provided free land for the BrahMos project but also closely monitored its progress, enabling its completion within just 3.5 years. “The Lucknow node will also produce other defence equipment, giving the city and the state a new identity in the defence sector,” said the CEO.
Amid rising India-Pakistan tension, setting up the BrahMos missile unit in Uttar Pradesh is a major strategic move. It will bolster India’s military strength and position UP as a key contributor to national security and defence-driven development, said a state government official.
He added that it would be the first advanced, hi-tech unit of its kind in the state. It would help grow the aerospace industry and bring modern manufacturing technologies to the state. The start of the BrahMos project would give many opportunities to existing aerospace companies in UP based on their work and experience. New technology for machinery and testing would also be developed. The state government spokesman also claimed that the project would also create jobs, with around 500 engineers and technicians would be directly employed. In addition, thousands of skilled, semi-skilled, and general workers would get indirect employment opportunities.
Notably, BrahMos Aerospace was created as a joint venture between the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) and 'JSC' 'MIC' NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM) of the Government of the Russian Federation. The name ‘BrahMos’ comes from two famous rivers — Brahmaputra (symbolising strength) and Moskva (symbolising peace).
BrahMos Aerospace was set up with 50.5% Indian and 49.5% Russian ownership, and it is the first defence joint venture of its kind established by the Indian government with a foreign government.
