India is boosting its defence manufacturing capacity with the opening of a BrahMos missile production plant at Lucknow on 11 May. The unit, which is a part of the Defence Industrial Corridor in Uttar Pradesh, hopes to produce 80-100 supersonic cruise missiles per year. The joint venture between DRDO and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, the BrahMos missile, is pivotal in India’s strategic defence. The project is likely to make the defence manufacturing infrastructure of the country robust, which would require an investment of Rs 300 crore, and this workstation would receive a generous contribution from IITs for R&D support.
Context:
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India is stepping up its defence production with the inauguration of a BrahMos missile production unit in Lucknow on 11 May.
Key Points
About
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BrahMos Missile Facility: A Rs 300 crore BrahMos missile production plant in Lucknow will manufacture 80-100 missiles every year.
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Defence Corridor Initiative: The plant is a part of defence industrial corridor of Uttar Pradesh which will be used to strengthen production of India’s defence.
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Strategic Importance: BrahMos, a joint India-Russia venture, is an asset of essential importance to India’s military with a range of 290 km.
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Defence Investment: Rs 28,000 crore worth of investment proposals have been drawn to Uttar Pradesh Defence Corridor in India.
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Research Support: IIT Kanpur & IIT BHU will support R&D activities for the Defence Corridor.
What is BrahMos Missile?
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A supersonic cruise missile a joint venture between DRDO and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya.
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Has a range of 290 km; the fastest cruise missile, with Mach 2.8 flying speed.
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It is capable of launch from land air and sea and is operated on the “fire and forget” principle and needs no additional guidance after launch.
Defence Industrial Corridor:
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The effort seeks to establish a complete defence manufacturing hub in Uttar Pradesh.
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Lucknow also happens to be one of the six nodes of this corridor with investments under way and MoUs with key players.
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IITs (Kanpur, BHU) are given the status of centres of excellence for R&D support.
Benefits:
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Enhanced Defence Capabilities: Boosts the missile production of India and enhancing strategic deterrence.
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Job Creation: Creates employment directly and indirectly in the region.
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Boost to Defence Corridor: Matches the Uttar Pradesh’s Defence Industrial Corridor by creating more business opportunities through the inflow of capital from outside.
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Technological Advancements: Motivates innovation through support for R&D in R&D in defence technologies by IIT.
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Economic Growth: Facilitates regional and national economic growth; investments Rs 28,000 crore.
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Strengthened Strategic Position: Serves to reduce the national security dependency on external sources of knowledge.
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Increased Export Potential: Opens doors for missile exports strengthening defence diplomacy.
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Self-reliance in Defence: Boosts the production of the advanced nature of weapons systems to enhance “Atmanirbhar Bharat”.
Conclusion:
The inauguration of the BrahMos missile production facility at Lucknow is therefore a big stride towards building up India’s defence capabilities. As a component of the bigger initiative of Defence Industrial Corridor, it propels the self-reliance of India in defence production, meets strategic military objectives, and drives technical & economic growth. Not only will the facility strengthen India’s missile manufacturing capacity, it will also aid the larger overall objective of making India a global leader in defence manufacturing.
UPSC Prelims PYQ
Q. Given the below stated data about the BrahMos missile, answer the questions:
- It is a joint project between India and Israel and a cruise missile.
- It is capable of launch from land, air or sea platform.
- It has a ballistic trajectory and needs a mid-course guidance.
From among the above statements which one are/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1 and 3 only
UPSC Mains Practice Question
Q.1 In the era of India’s self-reliance and defence manufacturing, describe the importance of the Brahmos missile production facility in Lucknow. (150–200 words)
