BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile (File)
India's BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system is back in the spotlight after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that the Indian armed forces used BrahMos missiles during Operation Sindoor.
"On the night of May 9-10, we decided to respond in a measured fashion to Indian aggression. Our armed forces were prepared to act at 4.30 in the morning after Fajr prayers to teach a lesson. But before that hour even arrived, India once again launched a missile attack using BrahMos, and hit various provinces of Pakistan, including the airport in Rawalpindi," Mr Sharif said recently during a public event in Azerbaijan.
The BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile that flies at three times the speed of sound and can strike targets 400 kilometres away.
Jointly developed by India and Russia, and manufactured exclusively in India, its air-launched variant, fired from the IAF Su-30MKI fighters from a Tamil Nadu-based squadron, was at the forefront of India's aerial offensive during Operation Sindoor - a targeted military attack on terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the deadly April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
After the Indian armed forces carried out Operation Sindoor on May 7, the Pakistani Army launched drones and missiles at western parts of India, which were successfully intercepted. India then hit selected military targets deep inside Pakistani territory.
The Indian Army BrahMos launch units were also at high alert, and Indian Navy warships armed with the missile were also ready for action throughout the escalation.
Pakistan's failure to intercept incoming BrahMos missiles, despite layered Chinese air defence systems, has raised serious questions about its ability to counter India's growing missile arsenal.
This was not the first time the BrahMos missile had entered Pakistani airspace - a 2022 accidental firing had already signalled its reach and capability.
India is now moving swiftly to expand the BrahMos universe:
1. The production of an extended-range version of a BrahMos missile with an 800-kilometre strike envelope is underway.
2. A submarine-launched variant will soon be tested again and become a reality on submarines in India's P75I program.
3. A miniaturised lighter BrahMos for Rafale and other fighter types is under development.
4. A hypersonic BrahMos is also in the works, taking speed and survivability to the next level.
5. India has also delivered the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines. Several Southeast Asian countries, including Vietnam, and Middle Eastern nations have also reportedly expressed interest in the missile systems.
