Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday flagged off the first batch of BrahMos missiles produced at the BrahMos Aerospace unit in Lucknow.
This marks a major step forward for the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC) and strengthens India’s push for self-reliance in defence manufacturing, according to an official statement.
Rajnath Singh’s stark warning to Pakistan
Rajnath Singh said that India’s enemies would no longer be able to evade the power of the BrahMos missile, asserting that “every inch of Pakistani territory now lies within its range”.
Sending a stern warning to Pakistan, Singh referred to Operation Sindoor as only a preview of India’s military strength. “What happened in Operation Sindoor was just a trailer. That trailer alone made Pakistan realise that if India could give birth to Pakistan, I don’t need to explain what else it’s capable of,” he remarked.
CM Yogi said the milestone represents the foundation of an “Atmanirbhar Bharat,” adding that the state has so far provided over 2,500 acres of land for the defence corridor across six locations. “Through this initiative, more than 15,000 young people in Uttar Pradesh have found employment,” he said.
BrahMos Aerospace, which makes the BrahMos supersonic missile system, produced the first batch of missiles from its new integration and testing facility in Sarojini Nagar, Lucknow. The modern unit, inaugurated on May 11, is equipped with advanced systems for missile assembly, testing and quality checks before the weapons are deployed with the armed forces.
Revenue boost and expansion plans
Yogi Adityanath also mentioned that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) had received a GST refund cheque of Rs 40 crore and promised more land for future expansion.
“Director general of BrahMos and the defence minister recently provided a GST check worth Rs 40 crore to us. I told the DRDO again, ‘Tell me how much land you need; we will provide it for you here’. When 100 BrahMos missiles are manufactured each year, and the capacity will increase to 150 in the future, the state government will receive Rs 150 to 200 crore annually through GST from these missiles,” he added.
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, Minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi, and several senior officials attended the ceremony.
