Rajnath Singh warns Pakistan as first batch of Lucknow-built BrahMos missiles flagged off: ‘Every inch of its territory now within reach’

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the performance of the indigenous weapon systems

Defence minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday flagged off the first batch of BrahMos missiles manufactured at the BrahMos Aerospace unit in Lucknow.

According to an official statement cited by PTI, this is not only a milestone for the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC) but will also provide a new energy to India's resolve to achieve self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

"Every inch of Pakistani territory is now within the reach of our BrahMos. What happened in Operation Sindoor was just a trailer. But that trailer itself made Pakistan realise that if India can give birth to it," said Singh at the flag-off ceremony.

"BrahMos is not just a missile, but a symbol of India's growing indigenous capabilities. This combination of speed, accuracy, and power makes BrahMos one of the world's best missiles. BrahMos has become the backbone of India's Army, Navy, and Air Force," he added.

BrahMos Aerospace, the manufacturer of the BrahMos supersonic missile system, has successfully produced the first batch of the missile system from its new integration and test facility in Sarojini Nagar, Lucknow, the statement said.

Inaugurated on May 11 this year, the state-of-the-art facility is equipped with modern amenities for missile integration, testing, and final quality assurance. Once testing is complete, the missiles are readied for deployment by the Indian armed forces.

Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak, minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi, and other officials attended the ceremony.

BrahMos, jointly developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, played a crucial role in Operation Sindoor following the dastardly Pahalgam terror attack.

The missiles were extensively used to strike Pakistani air bases and army cantonments across the country during the four-day operation.

Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the performance of the indigenous weapon systems in the conflict, saying, "During Operation Sindoor, the world saw the capabilities of our indigenous weapons. Our Air Defence Systems, missiles, and drones have proved the strength of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat', especially the Brahmos missiles."

In the first phase of the conflict, when India launched attacks on terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, including the terror headquarters of Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Toiba in Pakistani Punjab province, the BrahMos missile was the main weapon of choice for the Indian Air Force, which hit targets with great precision.

The BrahMos caused further damage to Pakistani air bases, and hence the Pakistan Army tried to retaliate, protecting the terrorists and their infrastructure.