New Delhi: India’s flagship BrahMos missile program is expected to become significantly cheaper over the next two years. According to BrahMos Aerospace CEO and Managing Director Dr. Jaiteerth R. Joshi, the BrahMos missile cost reduction could reach nearly 20% within the next 18 to 24 months due to increased indigenous manufacturing and reduced dependence on imported Russian components.
The development marks another major milestone in India’s push for self-reliance under the “Make in India” and defence indigenization initiatives.
Details of BrahMos Missile Cost Reduction
The expected reduction in missile cost is being driven by several factors:
- Higher use of Indian-made components
- Increased local sourcing of raw materials
- Indigenous production of critical subsystems
- Engineering improvements in manufacturing
- Better supply chain management
- Reduced dependence on foreign suppliers
Read also: India and Russia Developing Smaller Hypersonic BrahMos Missiles to Strengthen Defense Capabilities
Officials associated with the BrahMos program have stated that continuous optimization efforts have already produced noticeable savings across the production ecosystem.
Indigenous Warhead Program Plays a Key Role
One of the most important achievements is the localization of the BrahMos warhead. Previously, some critical warhead-related components depended on Russian supplies. However, Indian defence companies are now manufacturing these systems domestically.
A major breakthrough came when Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited (SDAL) delivered India’s first indigenously developed BrahMos warhead for qualification trials. Once fully validated and inducted, the locally manufactured warhead is expected to:
- Lower production costs
- Improve supply security
- Reduce import dependency
- Strengthen India’s defence industrial base
BrahMos Missile Cost Reduction: Significant Savings Already Achieved
Industry officials indicate that substantial cost savings have already been recorded during the last 18 months. Reported improvements include:
- Around 24% reduction in raw material costs
- Approximately 10% reduction in manufacturing and component costs
- Better production efficiency
- Improved logistics management
These measures are helping make the BrahMos production process more economical.
What Is the BrahMos Missile
The BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile, meaning it can travel faster than the speed of sound while flying at relatively low altitudes. Key features include:
- High-speed precision strike capability
- Land, sea, and air-launch variants
- Operational deployment with Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force
- One of the fastest operational cruise missiles in the world
The missile has become one of India’s most important strategic defence assets.
Benefits of Increased Indigenization
Greater localization offers several advantages beyond cost reduction.
Economic Benefits
- Lower production expenses
- More jobs in Indian defence manufacturing
- Growth of domestic suppliers
- Increased export competitiveness
Strategic Benefits
- Reduced reliance on foreign countries
- Faster production cycles
- Improved supply chain stability
- Better readiness during global disruptions
Defence Benefits
- Larger procurement volumes possible
- Better inventory management
- Enhanced military preparedness
Read also: BrahMos Missile Programme Achieves Historic Milestone with First Indigenous Warhead
