Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday issued a strong warning to Pakistan, asserting that every inch of its territory is well within the strike range of India’s BrahMos missile system. While addressing an event in Lucknow, Singh hailed the recent Operation Sindoor as a demonstration of India’s growing military might, calling it “only a trailer” of what the country is capable of. His statement came as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flagged off the first batch of indigenously manufactured BrahMos missiles from the newly established aerospace facility in Lucknow.
Singh emphasised the operational success of the BrahMos missile, stating that it had proven its strategic value during Operation Sindoor. “Winning is no longer an incident for us; it has become a habit,” he said. “What happened in Operation Sindoor was just a trailer. But that trailer alone made Pakistan realise that if India could create Pakistan once, there’s no need to elaborate on what it can do further.” His remarks underscored India’s growing self-reliance in defence production and its readiness to respond decisively to external threats.
He further described BrahMos as a “pillar of strength” for the Indian Armed Forces, representing not just military capability but also India’s technological progress. According to an official statement, BrahMos Aerospace has successfully produced the first batch of advanced missile systems at its new integration and testing facility in Sarojini Nagar, Lucknow. This state-of-the-art complex, inaugurated on May 11, is equipped with advanced technology for missile assembly, testing, and final quality assurance. Once verified, the missiles are delivered to the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force for deployment.
The Defence Minister revealed that the Lucknow facility will produce around 100 BrahMos missiles annually, supplying them across all three services. “This plant, spread over 200 acres and built at a cost of about ₹380 crore, will not only strengthen India’s defence capability but also generate employment for hundreds of people,” he said. Singh added that India was actively reducing its dependence on foreign suppliers, indirectly referring to recent disruptions in global supply chains. In what appeared to be a subtle criticism of the United States, he noted that supplier nations were increasingly using the supply of spare parts as a geopolitical tool, particularly referencing the delay in engine supplies for India’s Tejas fighter aircraft.
Technically, the BrahMos is a two-stage supersonic cruise missile powered first by a solid-propellant booster and then by a liquid-fuelled ramjet engine. It integrates stealth technology, precision guidance, and advanced embedded software, making it one of the fastest and most accurate missile systems globally. With a range of up to 290 kilometres, the missile maintains supersonic speed throughout its trajectory, reducing target dispersion, ensuring faster engagement, and making interception nearly impossible by existing defence systems.
Operation Sindoor, which showcased the BrahMos in active combat, was India’s forceful military response to the brutal massacre of 26 civilians, including a local ponyman, in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam by Pakistan-backed terrorists. The operation saw India carrying out strategic strikes on multiple terror camps and military facilities across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). In retaliation, Pakistan launched drone attacks that were swiftly neutralised by Indian forces. The confrontation escalated into an intense four-day exchange before both sides agreed to a ceasefire.
Through his speech, Rajnath Singh reinforced that India’s modern defence manufacturing ecosystem—symbolised by the BrahMos project—is not only a technological triumph but also a clear signal to adversaries that India is fully prepared to defend its sovereignty, with self-reliance and deterrence at its core.
