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by IANS |
Lucknow, May 11 (IANS) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday virtually inaugurated the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile production unit at Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor in Lucknow, calling the advanced missile a symbol of India's growing defence prowess and technological strength.
Singh, who joined the inauguration event via video conference, said the timing of the inauguration on National Technology Day marks symbolic significance.
"On this day in 1998, under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, India conducted nuclear tests in Pokhran, showcasing the strength of our scientists and engineers. It's a day to honour their contributions," he said.
The new production facility, constructed over 80 hectares of land provided free of cost by the Uttar Pradesh government, was completed in just 40 months at a cost of Rs 300 crore.
The unit is designed to manufacture 80 to 100 BrahMos missiles annually, and another 100 to 150 next-generation variants will also be produced each year.
The missile, developed by BrahMos Aerospace -- a joint venture between India's DRDO and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya -- is capable of striking targets at a range of 290 to 400 kilometres and travels at a top speed of Mach 2.8.
Rajnath Singh praised the rapid progress and commitment shown in completing the project.
"I congratulate Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. This is a landmark step towards making UP a major centre for defence manufacturing. All six nodes of the corridor -- Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Chitrakoot, Agra, and Aligarh -- will emerge as powerful economic and industrial hubs," he said.
Recalling Kanpur's past industrial glory, Singh remarked, "This region was once known as the Manchester of the East. I am confident that Kanpur and the surrounding areas will reclaim their economic stature. In the future, the world will speak of the 'Kanpur of the West'."
He added that seven additional strategic projects are also in the pipeline, which will accelerate India's path toward defence self-reliance.
"BrahMos is one of the fastest supersonic cruise missiles in the world. It is not merely a weapon -- it is a message. A message of India's strength, deterrence, and unwavering commitment to protecting its borders," he said.
Quoting former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Singh added, "Strength respects strength. The world respects the powerful, not the weak."
The Defence Minister likened the Indo-Russian BrahMos collaboration to the spiritual confluence in Prayagraj.
"Just as Prayagraj is renowned for its sacred confluence, Lucknow will now be known for this technological confluence that combines the best of Indian and Russian defence capabilities," he said.
The next-generation BrahMos missile, officials said, will weigh 1,290 kilograms -- less than half of the current 2,900 kilograms -- and will have an extended range of over 300 kilometres. This will enable fighter aircraft such as the Sukhoi to carry up to three missiles instead of just one.
Alongside the manufacturing unit, the Aerospace Integration and Testing Facility was also inaugurated, where assembly and testing of the missiles will take place.
In addition, the Titanium and Super Alloys Materials Plant (Strategic Materials Technology Complex), which will produce essential materials for aerospace and defence, was launched.
Furthermore, the foundation stone was laid for the Defence Testing Infrastructure System (DTIS), which will serve as a dedicated centre for testing and certifying defence equipment.
The Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2018 Global Investors' Summit, aims to attract substantial defence investments and make India self-reliant in military production.
Uttar Pradesh is the second state, after Tamil Nadu, to have such a corridor, further cementing its importance in India's national security infrastructure.
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