India to export BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system in next 10 days: DRDO chief
NEW DELHI : India is set to initiate the export of ground systems for the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile within the next 10 days, with the missiles themselves expected to be dispatched by March this year, according to DRDO Chairman Dr. Samir V Kamat on Thursday.
The first set of BrahMos missile systems is anticipated to reach the Philippines by the end of March, he told during an interview.
This export to the Philippines represents the largest defense export contract India has ever signed with a foreign nation, valued at $375 million and agreed upon in January 2022 for the supply of the shore-based anti-ship variant of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile.
Highlighting the significance of exports in the defense sector, Kamat stated, “I am sure over the coming years exports are going to become a very important part of our portfolio.” He cited various DRDO-developed products, including hull-mounted sonars, lightweight torpedoes, and radars, which have been exported, with growing interest from other countries in products like Pinaka.
The DRDO chairman noted that approximately Rs 4.94 lakh crores worth of DRDO-developed products have either been inducted into defense or received Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) from the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC). He also emphasized the accelerating pace of developments, with over 60-70 per cent of the inducted products occurring in the last 5-7 years, predicting a further increase in this rate in the future.
The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system, a successful joint venture between India and Russia, is considered one of the world’s most successful missile programs. As a highly versatile and precise weapon, BrahMos has enhanced India’s deterrence capabilities in the 21st century. The missile, designed and developed by BrahMos Aerospace, continues to evolve with a next-generation variant featuring smaller, lighter, and smarter dimensions suitable for deployment on a broader range of modern military platforms.