
Used in Operation Sindoor: IAF, Navy to place big order for BrahMos missile; what makes it crucial
BrahMos
supersonic cruise missiles, which dealt a heavy blow to Pakistani military infrastructure during
Operation Sindoor
.
Top officials told ANI that the defence ministry is expected to soon clear a major procurement proposal for the
BrahMos missile
system, a joint Indo-Russian venture, to arm Navy's Veer-class warships and the Air Force's Su-30MKI fighter jets. The order will also cover ground and air-launched variants, underlining India's push for rapid force augmentation in the aftermath of the recent conflict, according to a report from news agency ANI.
The BrahMos, known for its precision and speed, played a pivotal role in India's four-day offensive, targeting Pakistani air bases, Army cantonments, and terror hubs across the border. In the first wave, Air Force used the missile to take out key terrorist infrastructures, including Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba headquarters in Pakistan and PoK.
PM Modi recently hailed the performance of BrahMos used during the operation, saying, "During Operation Sindoor, the world saw the capabilities of our indigenous weapons. Our Air Defence Systems, missiles, and drones have proved the strength of '
Atmanirbhar Bharat
', especially the Brahmos missiles."
With this procurement, India signals both a strategic upgrade of its missile arsenal and a reinforcement of its indigenous defence production, positioning the BrahMos as the centrepiece of its deterrence doctrine in a region fraught with volatility.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Hindustan Times
13 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Shinde meets Modi, Shah, refutes suggestions of Mahayuti trouble
MUMBAI: Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, who visited Delhi on Wednesday to meet prime minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah, rejected rumours that he was there to sort out his issues with his Mahayuti allies. Maharashtra's deputy chief minister said that he and his family members went to congratulate Modi on the success of Operation Sindoor and Operation Mahadev, and he later had a separate one-on-one meeting with him. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during a meeting, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (PTI Photo)(PTI08_06_2025_000437A) (PTI) Accompanied by the Shiv Sena's MPs, Shinde also met Amit Shah. This is his third visit to the capital in the last one month amid speculation in political circles that he and his men have been cornered in the Mahayuti government. When media persons asked him if he was an indirect target of his allies, Shinde replied that his party had performed well in two elections and would also win the forthcoming local body polls. Speaking at a press conference, the politician showered fulsome praise on Modi and Shah, saying that Shah had just become the longest-serving home minister in the history of India, completing an uninterrupted term of 2,258 days. 'We met him to convey our heartfelt congratulations,' he said. Shinde called Shah's leadership 'decisive' and stated that from abrogating Article 370—thereby fulfilling the dream of Bal Thackeray—to leading Operation Mahadev against terrorism and effectively curbing Naxalism, the home minister had shown 'unwavering commitment and visionary leadership'. 'From cooperative development to national security, his contribution has been exemplary,' he gushed. The deputy CM took a snipe at the Thackeray cousins Raj and Uddhav when asked about a possible alliance between the two. 'So what will happen if the two come together?' he asked. 'People don't vote for names but for accomplishments. They don't vote for people who sit at home. Parties have a right to get into alliances but the people decide whom to vote for.' There were some questions on Thackeray attending the opposition alliance INDIA meet on August 7 but Shinde refused to answer them. The Shiv Sena chief announced that his party had extended its unconditional support to the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the upcoming vice-presidential election. He affirmed that his party remained one of the oldest and most trusted allies of the NDA.


Indian Express
13 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Agriculture a stumbling block in talks, but India-US trade in sector sees surge
Even as agriculture, along with purchase of Russian oil, has emerged as a key sticking point in the trade talks between India and the United States, here's an interesting fact: Trade in farm produce between the two countries is actually booming and poised to touch a new record this year. During January-June 2025, India's imports of agricultural products from the US were, at $1,693.2 million, a whopping 49.1% more than the $1,135.8 million for the same six months of the last calendar year. India's agricultural exports to the US, too, were up 24.1%, from $2,798.9 million in January-June 2024 to $3,472.7 million in January-June 2025 (see chart). With US President Donald Trump doubling the tariff on import of goods from India to 50 per cent on Wednesday, the impact remains to be seen, but the trends so far suggest two-way farm trade at least surpassing previous highs. If the current growth rates hold, India's agricultural exports to the US could top $7.7 billion, and that of the US to India could be over $3.5 billion in 2025. The US's exports to India have been led by tree nuts — mainly almonds and pistachios — which were valued at $1.1 billion-plus in 2024, and registering further 42.8% annual growth during the first six months of this year. The other three big-ticket items are ethanol, soyabean oil and cotton. Ethanol exports from the US to India, worth over $420 million last year, are basically for manufacturing alcohol-based chemicals, medicines and other industrial uses. The US wants India to open up imports of ethanol also for fuel use, i.e. blending with petrol and diesel. India has been resisting that, just as much as it is not allowing imports of genetically modified (GM) maize and soyabean. US farmers mostly grow only GM maize (corn) and soyabean. India currently permits imports of non-fuel ethanol and oil, produced from GM corn and soyabean respectively, but not the whole grain and oilseed as such. Although the trade negotiations between the two sides are stuck due to India not yielding on GM crops, US exports of both corn-derived ethanol and soyabean oil to India have posted strong growth. The huge jump in soyabean oil exports from the US this year is likely to be sustained by India's move, on May 31, to slash its import duty from 27.5% to 16.5%. Cotton exports from the US have also been growing on the back of India turning into a net importer of the natural fibre. India's agricultural exports to the US are somewhat more diversified. While seafood (primarily frozen shrimp) has been the top item, there are others as well — from spices and essential oils to basmati rice, processed fruits & vegetables and baked foods — that have been doing well, with annual shipment value exceeding $200 million each. It's not clear how much of all these exports would be affected, especially with the new Trump tariff. Take seafood, where India's exports of $2,483.8 million in 2024 was just behind Canada ($3,956.9 million) and Chile ($3,030.1 million), and ahead of Indonesia ($1,907.9 million), Vietnam ($1,790.4 million) and Ecuador ($1,616.4 million). As of now, the 50% tariff on India is above that of all these competitors: Chile (10%), Ecuador (15%), Indonesia (19%), Vietnam (20%) and Canada (35%). While seafood exports from India have remained buoyant, growing by 32.5% year-on-year in January-June, sustaining that may not be easy as the tariff differentials bite. But the fact that agriculture trade per se between India and the US is booming should be some consolation in the present situation where talks are at a standstill.


Indian Express
13 minutes ago
- Indian Express
‘Good prospect': Trump on summit with Putin and Zelenskyy after US envoy Witkoff's Russia visit
US President Donald Trump has said that there is a 'good chance' he could meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, following the talks between his envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin on Wednesday which the US president described as 'very good talks'. A White House official confirmed the development on Wednesday and said President Trump could meet Putin as soon as next week, though the United States is adamant to impose secondary sanctions on Russia on Friday, in order to pressure Moscow to end the war in Ukraine. When asked at the White House if Putin and Zelenskyy had agreed to such a summit, Trump said there was a 'very good prospect', but refrained from providing any further details. Such a face to face meeting between the US and Russian president would be first since June 2021 when former President Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva, eight months prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. According to a New York Times report, Trump told European leaders during a call on Wednesday that he intends to meet Putin first and then hold a trilateral meeting with Zelenskyy and the Russian president. Putin and Zelenskyy have not met each other since December 2019. 'The Russians expressed their desire to meet with President Trump, and the President is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelenskyy,' White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. The Kremlin earlier issued a statement about the talks between Witkoff and Putin, as a foreign policy aide said the two sides exchanged 'signals' as part of 'constructive' talks in Moscow, BBC reported. The meeting came days before a US sponsored deadline for Russia to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine or face secondary sanctions. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy also said that he spoke to the US president about envoy Witkoff's Moscow visit, with European leaders also on the call.