Buyers make a beeline even before BrahMos induction

Ten countries, including two from South America and two from the Far East, have evinced interest in the purchase of BrahMos, India’s first supersonic cruise missile. The process of the induction of the missile in the Indian Navy would start by this month-end.

"This weapon is the only supersonic precision missile with a range of 290 km and a multiple launch platform capacity. For this reason several countries have shown interest in it," said Dr A Sivathanu Pillai, Chief Controller (Research and Development), Defence Research and Development Organisation and Managing Director of the joint venture between India and Russia, BrahMos Aerospace. He, however, refused to divulge the names of the countries.

"The countries have been shortlisted by both Indian and Russian governments. Deliberations are on in this matter at the top level," Pillai said. The shelf-life of BrahMos was five years and it would require that much time for any other country to simulate and copy it, he said adding that "thus the export can be possible only in these five years." The weapon would be constantly upgraded in this period with more potency.

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