BrahMos not just a weapon but a message in itself, says Rajnath Singh
A day after it was learnt that India had used its BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to target Pakistani air bases before the ceasefire came into effect, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Sunday inaugurated the BrahMos Integration and Testing Centre in Lucknow — and said these missiles are not just a weapon but a message of strength of the armed forces.
'As far as BrahMos is concerned, all of you know that BrahMos is one of the world's fastest supersonic missiles. BrahMos is not a weapon but a message in itself. A message of the strength of the Indian Armed Forces, a message of deterrence to our enemies, and a message of our commitment to safeguarding our borders,' Singh said.
Invoking the words of former President A P J Abdul Kalam, known as India's 'Missile man' who played a significant role in the Pokhran nuclear test, Singh said that 'unless India stands up to the world, no one would respect us in this world… fear has no place… strength respects strength'.
Singh also said that Operation Sindoor targeted the terror infrastructure in Pakistan and sent a message to the world that India will take action on both sides of the border as part of its zero-tolerance policy against terrorism. 'The Indian Army launched Operation Sindoor with the motive to demolish terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan. We never targeted their common citizens. However, Pakistan attempted to not only target India's residential areas but also temples, gurdwaras and churches,' Singh said.
Participating virtually in the launch of the BrahMos facility, Singh said India's armed forces not only displayed courage and bravery, but also restraint in their action against Pakistan. Asserting that the Indian Army delivered justice for the families of those killed by 'anti-India terrorist organisations', he said Operation Sindoor was not 'just a military action but a symbol of India's political, social and strategic willpower'.
'We proved that whenever India takes action against terrorism, it ensures that the bases of terrorists and their masters will not remain safe on either side of the border… We not only took action on bases adjoining the border, but the sound of the action by the Indian Army was heard even in Rawalpindi where the Pakistani army has its headquarters,' he said.
'Through the surgical strikes after the Uri incident, airstrikes after Pulwama attack and now multiple strikes after Pahalgam attack, the world has witnessed what India can do if terror attacks are carried out on its soil. Following the policy of zero tolerance against terrorism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that this New India will take effective action against terrorism on both sides of the border,' he said.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was present at the facility for the launch along with his two Deputy Chief Ministers, said one should ask those in Pakistan about the strength of BrahMos. 'You must have seen a glimpse of the BrahMos missile's strength in the recent Operation Sindoor. If not, you should ask those in Pakistan,' Adityanath said.
The UP CM said that Operation Sindoor has sent a message that any act of terror will be handled like a 'war' until it is crushed. 'Terrorism is like the tail of a dog, which can never be straightened and does not understand the language of love. It needs to be responded to in its own language and Operation Sindoor has sent a message to the world in this direction,' he said.
The Rs 300-crore BrahMos unit in Lucknow's Sarojininagar has been established as a joint venture between the Indian and Russian governments, with the foundation stone laid in 2021.
The unit is part of the UP Defence Industrial Corridor, which was announced by Prime Minister Modi in 2018. Rajnath Singh and Yogi Adityanath also inaugurated the Titanium and Super Alloys Materials Plant (Strategic Materials Technology Complex) as part of the corridor.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
27 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
First of 3 evacuation flights under Operation Sindhu lands in Delhi with 290 Indian students from Iran
The first of three chartered chartered evacuation flight carrying Indian students from conflict-hit Iran landed safely in New Delhi late Friday night, as part of India's Operation Sindhu rescue effort. The flight, operated by Mahan Air, touched down at around 11.40 pm with 290 Indian nationals, most of them students from Jammu and Kashmir, onboard. Operation Sindhu was launched earlier this week to evacuate around 1,000 Indian citizens stranded in Iran amid intensifying hostilities between Iran and Israel. The Indian Embassy in Tehran, in coordination with the Iranian government, facilitated the relocation of students from Tehran to safer cities such as Qom and Mashhad, from where they are being flown back to India. Two more evacuation flights are scheduled for Saturday, one from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, in the morning, and another from Mashhad in the evening. A senior Iranian diplomat indicated that additional flights may be organised over the weekend if necessary. Similarly, a separate batch of 110 Indian nationals who were moved to Armenia from Tehran reached Delhi on Thursday on a flight from Yerevan. Earlier, Mohammad Javad Hosseini, deputy chief of mission at the Iranian Embassy in Delhi, said during a media briefing, 'We consider Indians as our own people. Iran's airspace is closed, but because of this issue, we are making arrangements to open it for the safe passage of Indian nationals.' He had also confirmed that the Iranian foreign ministry is working closely with India's external affairs ministry to ensure the evacuation proceeds smoothly. None of the chartered flights are operating through Pakistani airspace due to prevailing geopolitical sensitivities. The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, which has been in close contact with many of the evacuees, issued a statement following the arrival of the first flight: 'Mahan Air evacuation flight from Mashhad, Iran, carrying 290 students, the majority of whom are from Kashmir, has landed safely in New Delhi just now. Heartfelt thanks to the Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs, and all concerned authorities for their timely intervention and support. A great relief for families who had been anxiously awaiting their return.'
The Print
42 minutes ago
- The Print
Trust with China low post Op Sindoor, says Defence Secy; terms Trump-Munir meeting ‘very strange'
He also termed the meeting between Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, and US President Donald Trump as 'a very strange thing'. Singh made it clear that India's approach after Operation Sindoor has fundamentally shifted. The country will no longer limit itself to striking foot soldiers or remote camps. 'We will be going after the headquarters, going after the leaders,' he said. He also confirmed that Pakistan had asked for time, and effectively requested a ceasefire during the conflict. New Delhi: Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, in his first appearance on a podcast released Friday with news agency ANI, said trust with China remains low and India must remain militarily prepared for any misadventure. At the same time, he said India should stay 'cautiously optimistic' as dialogue continues under the ongoing dispute resolution process, noting signs of a thaw and stressing the need for continued diplomatic engagement. Discussing the role of India-made weapons during the operation, Singh said indigenous systems like the Akash and BrahMos cruise missile were battle-tested and performed decisively, calling the latter a 'game changer'. He also added that the government is now focused on cutting procurement delays and introducing more competition in major defence programmes, including the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA), to ensure faster delivery and better capability. Also Read: Strikes on nuclear infra, disinfo nearly sparked nuclear crisis—latest SIPRI report on Op Sindoor On Op Sindoor and China's role On DGMO talks held in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor between India's Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai and Pakistan's Maj Gen Kashif Abdullah, Singh said, 'They (Pakistan) are the ones who came forward, who asked for time and thereafter essentially asked for a ceasefire.' He also said that the transcripts and record of discussions between the two DGMOs were made and are available. As reported by ThePrint earlier, Pakistan, which 'brusquely turned down' the request of the Indian DGMO on 7 May 'with an intimation that a severe response was inevitable and, in the offing,' was desperately reaching out to him on 10 May to ensure a ceasefire. In his first address to the nation after Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made it clear that India has only paused its retaliatory action against Pakistan, and will monitor its neighbour's every move. India will not tolerate 'nuclear blackmail', he said. The defence secretary also stated that while India has scaled back some deployments following Operation Sindoor, the move is intended to keep adversaries alert. 'There isn't any immediate aggressive posturing,' he said, 'but the intent is to be aggressive.' Singh emphasised that India aims to maintain what is known in strategic terms as 'escalation dominance,' retaining the initiative to choose the time and place of response. 'We are not leaving it to the terrorists to decide. We will change the script and ensure they are never certain of what we'll do,' he added. Asked about how India views the Wednesday lunch between US President Donald Trump and Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan Field Marshal Asim Munir in Washington D.C., Singh said, 'It must be an embarrassment to any country that the military chief gets invited and the prime minister is nowhere to be seen, I mean it's a very strange thing.' During the podcast, the news agency also questioned him on reports of Chinese military and diplomatic officials being present in Pakistan's war rooms. He responded with: 'Collusion in terms of equipment, helping them out in various ways perhaps with satellite imagery as well could have happened, but definitely they did not take any active role. We have to engage with China diplomatically but at the same time remain sort of militarily prepared for any misadventure. Trust is low.' However, Singh pointed to being 'cautiously optimistic', as dialogue with Beijing continues as part of the dispute resolution process. India and China reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in October 2024, leading to disengagement from all friction points formed post the Galwan clashes in 2020. Furthermore, during last month's hostilities, Pakistan fielded a range of Chinese-origin platforms, including JF-17 and J-10C fighter jets, variants of HQ-9B long-range air defence systems, HQ-16 medium-range air defence systems, PL-15E beyond visual range air-to-air missiles (BVRAAM), and Chinese unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). India, on the other hand, fielded a mix of foreign and indigenous weapon systems. 'We used a mix of fully indigenous, partly indigenous and foreign weapons. BrahMos and Akash performed very well. Our ability to upgrade older air defence systems to counter low-flying threats like drones also worked effectively. It was a good mix of foreign and indigenous systems used effectively,' said Singh. On the armed forces' state of readiness, Singh said that, 'the services were very well prepared and had access to precision stand-off weapons.' Further, on Operation Sindoor being the first time several made-in-India weapons were battle-tested, he said it is well established that they performed well and added, 'BrahMos in fact was probably, you could even call it, a game changer'. During the hostilities, India had fired several BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles at key Pakistani military installations. The air and ground variants of the BrahMos, a joint venture between India and Russia now manufactured domestically, were said to be central to the destruction of key targets, including Pakistani air force's runways, bunkers and hangars. On AMCA, reforms and defence modernisation On whether India is eyeing American F-35A or Russian SU-57E fighters, the defence secretary made it clear that discussions with the two countries are not formal yet. 'I mean, whatever has been discussed has been informal. We don't really have any formal consultations going on on these. Our intent, of course, will have to be to acquire critical technologies through selective foreign purchases,' he added. On the Expression of Interest (EOI) for the India's indigenously developed fifth-generation AMCA prototype development, released Wednesday, which allows participation by a single company, a joint venture, or a consortium with the technical capability to develop prototypes, support flight testing, and manage certification of the AMCA, Singh said the objective is to foster greater competition. 'We would like to create a level playing field where others can also bid. They have the first mover advantage but the intent is to bring in some competition because monopolies are never good.' Asked about the ministry speeding up the procurement process, which remains a key issue, the defence secretary said that the maximum time taken for any procurement, 'even the most complex ones, should not exceed about 2 years'. As reported by ThePrint earlier, Singh had last month revealed that the 'government has already cut timelines across multiple stages of the procurement process, potentially saving up to 69 weeks.' He stressed the need to move away from the traditional nomination-based, cost-plus procurement model, historically dominated by public sector undertakings (PSUs), and adopt competitive bidding to create a level playing field for both public and private defence manufacturers. He had previously also said that the ministry is currently revising the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020 to better align with operational realities and expedite decision-making, including in key programmes such as shipbuilding and the AMCA programme. In March, the ministry approved a proposal to nearly halve procurement timelines, an initiative expected to feature in the updated DAP, anticipated later this year. Among changes under consideration in the DAP are introduction of deemed licencing beyond a defined time frame to ensure accountability, removal of outdated practices such as product reservation for defence PSUs and streamlining of procedural bottlenecks that have historically slowed defence acquisitions. This comes at a time when delays in defence production and delivery remain a pressing concern. Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh, has, on multiple occasions alluded to these challenges, citing constant delays in defence projects and failure to stick to delivery schedules, especially of fighter jets. While discussing the country's defence budget, he said that while India's defence budget has grown at an average of 7 percent over the past decade, a significant portion was often left unspent. However, he noted a shift in recent years. 'We've started utilising our Revised Estimates (RE) at least,' he said, adding that improving the pace of procurement would increase the system's absorptive capacity and strengthen the case for a larger budget share. 'I'm confident there will be no cut at the Revised Estimates stage. Singh also emphasised that expediting procurement processes remains a key focus. 'If we sustain our speed, it will ensure the budget is allocated to the labs accordingly,' he said. He also confirmed that the sixth round of emergency procurement is underway, aimed at fulfilling urgent requirements that emerged in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. On the question of drones and where India stands in the indigenisation process, the Defence Secretary acknowledged that while India has a significant manufacturing ecosystem for drones, much of it currently serves the civilian segment. 'Military-grade drones, not so much. It's something we'll have to build up quickly,' he said, linking the gap to the broader need to speed up the procurement process. He further emphasised the need for government support to expand India's drone manufacturing ecosystem. 'The government must use its buying power to help the small ecosystem grow into a larger one, which will involve transfer of technology. We are looking at three to four manufacturers who will be encouraged through orders and tenders in this domain.' (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also read: India-Pakistan conflict exposed the real danger—China
News18
an hour ago
- News18
'Don't Make Excuses...': Omar Abdullah Takes Swipe At Ally Congress Over EVM Charge
Last Updated: He also took a swipe at the INDIA bloc, pointing out that the alliance's leaders have not held a single meeting since the conclusion of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday took a sharp swipe at the INDIA bloc ally Congress over its allegations against the Election Commission, saying that excuses shouldn't be made when someone doesn't succeed in elections. After the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Congress party repeatedly criticised the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), alleging irregularities and a lack of transparency in the electoral process. 'So what you hear from the Congress in terms of its reservations about the process of elections, this is all the Congress's own point of view. I don't share it. I don't share it simply because I'm not given to making excuses for things that I don't succeed at," said Abdullah during an interview with The Economic Times. 'If I have a problem with election results, then I need to have it when I've won as well. My party did better than we expected in the October assembly elections. Nobody expected us to get this number of seats," the Chief Minister remarked. Omar Abdullah delivers a reality check to Congress for attacking the Election Commission:'Don't make excuses for things you don't succeed at."'I got more seats than anyone expected. If I don't have a problem with how elections are conducted when I win, I can't have a problem… — Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) June 20, 2025 Recently, the Congress leaders questioned the credibility of the EVM system and demanded a return to ballot papers or the implementation of stricter safeguards. The party also called for an all-party discussion on electoral reforms to restore voter confidence. 'So if I don't have a problem with the way elections are conducted when I win, I certainly can't have a problem with the way elections are conducted because I've lost," Abdullah said. He also took a swipe at the INDIA bloc, pointing out that the alliance's leaders have not held a single meeting since the conclusion of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. First Published: June 20, 2025, 23:38 IST
