Beyond the battlefield: BrahMos & the business of defence manufacturing

Amidst the military standoff with Pakistan, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated a BrahMos production at Lucknow. The facility is part of the ambitious Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor, which will have a capacity of manufacturing around 150 missiles annually.

The supersonic weapon, which was reportedly used by the Indian armed forces during Operation Sindoor, is one of the world's most advanced cruise missiles and is ideal for precision strikes against high-value targets. The new unit at Lucknow will help the country ramp up its fire-power.

The escalation that brought the countries to the brink of a full-blown war underscores the need for defence preparedness. Such tensions and persistent threats from other adversaries in the neighbourhood necessitate enhanced surveillance and rapid response capabilities.

Over the last decade or so, India has been making efforts to ramp up the defence sector. The successful thwarting of the air missile and drone strikes from Pakistan by the country's robust air defence system shows that the efforts have paid off. For the record, India's defence budget has increased at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.6 per cent from FY 2019-20 to FY 2024-25, which is greater than the inflation rate in each year. But, both in terms of percentage of government expenditure and percentage of GDP, it is lower than some of the countries in the neighbourhood and has immense scope for improvement.

There has been a major shift in India's policy with regard to defence imports. For the past couple of years, India has been trying to promote Indian equipment, be it through defence PSUs or private industry.

While there is no denying that the indigenous defence equipment sector needs to be pushed, the country also cannot ignore the growing technological shortfalls, which can be addressed by collaborative efforts. Pakistan aims to acquire 40 J-35A fifth-generation stealth jets from China, which is already showcasing prototypes of its sixth-generation aircraft. India's best bet in the skies-the Rafale is a 4.5-generation aircraft. While China has stationed its fifth-generation jets along the Indian border, India has been suffering delays in the production of the fourth-generation Tejas by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.

A Parliamentary Committee had also recently noted the time overruns in the delivery of defence products by defence PSUs, which should be strengthened in terms of adequate budgetary, infrastructural and human resource support.

The contemporary theatre of war, where non-conventional means such as non-kinetic warfare, cyber warfare, cognitive warfare, etc., are being increasingly employed, a paradigm shift in the strategy of warfare, particularly by integrating advanced technologies, is exigent.

An upgraded and well-funded defence sector is essential to maintaining territorial integrity and deterring aggression. As a global power and a major player in the Indo-Pacific, India must project strength to secure its interests regionally and globally. A robust defence capability also enhances India's diplomatic leverage.