India successfully test-fires upgraded supersonic cruise missile BrahMos

India successfully test-fired an upgraded version of the supersonic cruise missile BrahMos from INS Chennai, a stealth destroyer built indigenously, in the Arabian Sea. This follows a series of successful tests of other missiles amid increasing tension with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) near Ladakh.

The BrahMos missile hit a pre-designated target with “pin-point” accuracy, a statement from the defence ministry said. 

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“The missile hit the target with pin-point accuracy after performing high-level and extremely complex manoeuvres. BrahMos as prime strike weapon will ensure the warship’s invincibility by engaging naval surface targets at long ranges, thus making the destroyer another lethal platform of Indian Navy,” it said. 

BrahMos — for Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers — has been a part of India’s strike capabilities for a long time now. It is constantly upgraded and provided with updated hardware and software systems from time to time based on user feedback.

The missile is produced by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between India’s premier defence research organisation Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s Mashinostroyenia, which designs rockets.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO, BrahMos and the Indian Navy for the successful launch. 

DRDO chairman G Satheesh Reddy BrahMos missiles will enhance the capabilities of Indian armed forces.

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The missile has a range of 290 km and has a top speed of Mach 2.8, or almost thrice the speed of sound. It comes in three variants for land, air and naval use.

On September 30, India had test-fired an extended-range BrahMos with a range of 400 km from the integrated test range at Odisha’s Balasore. India also recently test-fired an upgraded variant of Shaurya missile and an anti-radiation missile to target enemy radars and surveillance systems.