Uttar Pradesh is playing a bigger role in India’s defence manufacturing with the expansion of BrahMos missile production in Lucknow. The new BrahMos Aerospace facility has become the company’s largest production centre and has increasedoverall missile manufacturing capacity by around 20%. The plant has already produced its first batch of BrahMos missiles, marking an important milestone for both the company and India’s defence sector.
A Strong India-Russia Partnership
BrahMos Aerospace began in February 1998 as a joint venture between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya. The company’s name combines India’s Brahmaputra River and Russia’s Moskva River, reflecting the partnership between the two countries.
BrahMos Aerospace manages the complete life cycle of the missile. It designs, develops, manufactures, markets, exports, and maintains the weapon system. This integrated approach has helped the company build one of the world’s most advanced cruise missiles.
One of the World’s Fastest Cruise Missiles
The BrahMos missile travels at nearly Mach 2.8, making it one of the fastest supersonic cruise missiles in operational service. The extended-range version can strike targets up to 800 kilometres away. The missile can launch from land, warships, submarines, and fighter aircraft. It can accurately hit both land-based and sea-based targets, giving India’s armed forces greater operational flexibility.
The company is also working on the next-generation BrahMos-II, a hypersonic cruise missile expected to deliver even greater speed and capability.
Growing Exports and Global Interest
India now has four BrahMos manufacturing centres located in Lucknow, Hyderabad, Thiruvananthapuram, and Pilani. Among them, the Lucknow facility has emerged as a major production hub.
Global demand for the missile continues to rise. The Philippines became the first foreign country to purchase the BrahMos coastal defence system, while countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam have also shown strong interest. As production expands in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh is expected to play a larger role in meeting future export orders and strengthening India’s position as a global defence manufacturing power.
