BrahMos Aerospace CEO Atul Dinkar Rane and Deputy CEO Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Joshi discuss the remarkable journey of the BrahMos missile in an exclusive interview with Huma Siddiqui.
This conversation takes place on the 26th anniversary of the Indo-Russian joint venture, coinciding with the Philippines Independence Day and Russia National Day. The engaging dialogue covers the strategic importance of BrahMos in international defence, its future advancements, and market expansion.
You two were nominated by DRDO to BrahMos in December 2021. What changes have you made in BrahMos in the last 2.5 years? What are the achievements? Mr Rane: (You are the third CEO & MD – mapping of BrahMos 1998-2014 (Pillai), 2014-2021 (Mishra), 2021-till date (Mr. Rane)
After we joined in December 2021, we have focused on three important directions – understanding and fulfilling the requirements of our Armed Forces; harnessing the export potential of BrahMos; major push towards indigenisation leading to production. This approach has given us many successes. In these two and half years timespan, we have received major contracts for BrahMos, including “India’s biggest export deal” with the Republic Philippines (worth around US$375 million); Order for Mobile Coastal Batteries for Indian Navy; and the recent and largest-ever order worth Rs 20,000 Cr approximately from Indian Navy for advanced BrahMos systems. Today, we have total orders worth around Rs 34,000 Cr with us in these 2.5 years of small stint. In addition to these successes in our business front, we have also achieved significant milestones in our indigenisation programme to the tune of 83 percent after successful flight trials of our own indigenous seeker, booster, some more materials and components. We have also pushed for indigenisation towards production of these major subsystems within this time period. For instance, our industry partners have been producing a major sub-system called the booster since last one year. As another milestone achievement, after successful seeker trials, we have placed the seeker production order with our industry partner. There are many other examples too at smaller components and subsystems levels where we have matched our development rates with production orders to boost our industries, including MSMEs. BrahMos will reap its benefits in near future. Within the organization also, we have implemented many new policies which are pushing the company to achieve its mission goals faster, converging towards its vision.
To add, historically in the year 1998, two powerful countries – India and Russia – signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) to design and produce world’s best supersonic cruise missile “BrahMos”. Luckily, God was kind enough to give me an incredible opportunity to work for BrahMos at a time when this coveted project was in its conceptualization stage way back in 1994, soon after Operation “Desert Storm” of the Gulf War. At that time, the need was felt by India for a precision strike weapon. Supersonic BrahMos is the “brainchild” of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam – the then DRDO Chief and later, the Hon’ble President of India, and our first CEO & MD Dr A S Pillai. I being the youngest of them all was tasked to create the procedures, protocols, company structure etc, so that the JV company BrahMos Aerospace could be formed, registered and start functioning as soon as possible. Probably now, I may be the last man left of that era who worked for BrahMos right from the beginning. Further, within a very short time of just three years, we were able to conduct the maiden successful test firing of BrahMos anti-ship missile in June 2001. This was the power of Joint Venture and the collaborative efforts of Indian and Russian scientists and technocrats. Technologists of both sides have given their best to create history.
From 1998-2014, BrahMos JV achieved incredible milestones with the extraordinary vision of Dr Pillai and we were able to place BRAHMOS at world stage as the only supersonic cruise missile system which can be fired from ship, land, underwater and from air. We were also able to develop a strong defence industrial ecosystem up to a great extent. During Dr Pillai’s tenure, BrahMos received production orders from all three-Armed Services to the tune of worth Rs 24,000 cr. Before his superannuation, Dr Pillai was able to push for the development of BrahMos air version system to be launched from the IAF’s Sukhoi-30MKI fighter platform up to a significant extent. His vision was such that he had conceptualized Mini BrahMos at that time, which we now call as “BrahMos-NG”.
From 2014-2021, with the Government’s increasing thrust on the “Make-in-India” programme, we set our sights on indigenization of various components and sub-systems for BrahMos. However, for BrahMos, it was a period of lull as far as production orders were concerned. We got one production order from the Indian Air Force in 2015, it was more as a business lead came into fruition later. However, during this period, DRDO played a crucial role and helped in indigenization of many materials, electronics, components and subsystems synergizing with the industrial ecosystem of BrahMos. More so, an argument over the high cost of BrahMos was doing the rounds, because of which we were not able to negotiate (and clinch any new deal…).
How much faith and trust Indian Armed Forces have in BrahMos?
The recent production orders we have received from the Indian Navy and the statement of the Chief of Naval Staff multiple times has sufficiently conveyed that BrahMos remains their “primary strike weapon”. They are ensuring that each of their warships is loaded with BrahMos. The Indian Air Force has, in the past, given us a huge order and we are delivering to them in batches. The Indian Army is also our major customer. Last year in June 2023 when we celebrated our Silver Jubilee year after completion of 25 ‘Supersonic’ years, the Service Chiefs along with the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) not only praised BrahMos as a formidable weapon, but also appreciated our comprehensive after-sales service and support to the users. BrahMos is not working for profits alone, it is working with dedication for the Indian Armed Forces to provide them with an unparalleled precision strike system. The CDS in his speech during the Silver Jubilee year celebrations said that “BrahMos is our true Brahmastra”.
PM Modi’s recent statement, citing BrahMos as a case, on the policy paralysis during earlier UPA govt and how do you see it today in comparison with present?
I can’t comment on Governments. However, I can say that today, policies such as the “Ease of Doing Business”, the DAP, and DPEPP etc. have impressively changed the defence ecosystem in favour of Indian defence industries to harness their full potential. Today, our Philippines export deal is the finest example.
BrahMos is being delivered to the Philippines. So, when will the entire consignment be delivered to the country and what has been its response so far?
There are contractual timelines and we will be delivering the weapon system to them as per the desired timeframe. We have received a very positive response from the Philippine Marine Forces and they are very happy with our weapon system, the training programme and the (storage) facilities.
How many countries have shown interest in acquiring BrahMos from India?
Many countries have shown interest in this weapon system. Whole of South East Asia, Middle East-North Africa (MENA region), some other African countries and Latin American countries are quite interested in BRAHMOS.
With Indonesia, how much has been the conversation. Is the contract possible?
We are at a very good stage. We are in business, so we don’t have any intent to lose hope from any business lead. All the countries know that this is the best weapon system in the whole world with best accuracy levels in supersonic speeds, giving no response time to the enemy.
Dy CEO Dr. Sanjeev Joshi Responds:
High cost of BRAHMOS has been an area of concern for customer countries & armed forces. How are you tackling this issue?
High cost is not an issue. When parameters like quality, reliability, precision, high-end technology, supersonic speed all through-out flight come with a very very low maintenance weapon system, the cost of ownership goes down. More so, the shelf-life of the weapon system makes a major contribution towards the cost of ownership. BRAHMOS is a “hermetically-sealed” missile. The Indian Armed Forces are still using missiles of the 2005/7 vintage with great efficiency. Hence, any customer who makes a decision to buy BrahMos understands all these aspects and that’s why we are in demand all over the world. Further, if you analyze the hit time of any missile for the same and that of BrahMos, other cruise missiles of the world are nowhere comparable. At a speed of 2.8 Mach, BrahMos takes appx. 5 minutes to reach its target at 290-km, while others take somewhere around 15-20 minutes, making them vulnerable to be intercepted. In war time, response time is the crux and we don’t give any response time to the enemy to react. So, we are convincing all our internal and international customers with all these above facts which essentially make BrahMos a cost-effective and a very powerful weapon system. The best example is the historic export order from the Philippines, and the largest-ever BRAHMOS order by the Indian Navy. We have been able to present complete facts to all of them.
Defence ecosystem is very complex. Supply chain is further more complex. What are your expectations from the industry working with you?
Very few understand this complexity. Certainly, supply chain in Defence is a very important parameter. Here you have to have the right balance as far as the number of industry partners to develop any components or subsystems are concerned. The total numbers are lesser always in case of weapon systems and hence creating too many industry partners may harm the supply chain environment. At the same time, smaller numbers can be an obstacle towards desired production rates. My expectation/ request from the industries associated with us is to increase their capacity to produce a greater number of components and sub-systems by investing more. Government policies are at the right place. PESTEL is positive. BrahMos has a long way to go. We have to make a huge mark together in the export map for Indian weapon systems…The numbers will grow and hence one has to become “future ready”.
If you have a Wishlist to request from the government what will that request be?
BrahMos is a JV with 50.5percent shareholding of GOI and the rest is with Russia. The very formation of this company had a core understanding to give it autonomy and freedom to create ripples in the world by producing a world-class missile. BrahMos was able to develop this product successfully. The Government has already formulated positive policies like DAP 2020 and DPEPP for acquisition and export of Indian Weapon systems. MoD is all the way supportive to the cause. DRDO is immensely helping in indigenization of the weapon system. What else does an industry need?
When contracts for BrahMos are made, is Russia also alerted?
There is no question of alerting them. They are JV partners. They are on the Board of Directors. Company runs through a Board of Directors led by CEO & MD. We are no exception.
What would you like to convey to international customers, especially to those countries who want to buy BrahMos from India?
If one will study all the missiles taking all those parameters into consideration, appreciation for BrahMos as a “preferred weapons system” is quite natural. In addition, I would like to state that this is a unique product which has been developed keeping all design thinking aspects in mind, and that’s why this product has sustained from the last 26 years without any competition world-over. Over a hundred test trials (user trials, development trials etc.) of BrahMos having the highest success rate are testament of its unflinching reliability. More so, we are doing continuous capability enhancement to make the weapon better and better both operationally and functionally. So, we are sure that it’s not easy to beat our product from any angle. This is the best product at the best price with low overall cost of ownership.