Ex-DRDO scientist Ravi Gupta hails BrahMos 'Unique weapon system', says 'President Putin's visit will further strengthen defence cooperation

New Delhi [India], December 5 (ANI): Former DRDO scientist Ravi Kumar Gupta has hailed the supersonic cruise missile BrahMos - co-developed by India and Russia - as a "unique weapon system" whose significance goes beyond hardware to showcase deep bilateral cooperation.
Speaking to ANI from Singapore, Gupta said, "The BrahMos missile system, jointly developed by Russia and Bharat, has been a unique weapon system in the world in many ways - not just the missile but also the manner in which the two countries joined hands and shared their expertise to bring out a unique weapon system."
"The world has seen the power of the BrahMos missile system on several occasions, but most impressively during the recent Operation Sindoor, when BrahMos was able to strike deep into enemy territory and achieve the desired goals, which perhaps no other weapon system in the world might have done. It is a supersonic missile flying at three times the speed of sound; at that speed, its kinetic energy is devastating. And that today is the devastating power of specialised warheads which are kept on the missile, " he added.
Gupta emphasised that given its performance, it is very natural that the two countries continue this unique relationship and continue to work for developing even more advanced versions of this missile system.
"When we look for the more advanced versions, we will be looking forward to a variety of warheads. So, the cooperation needs to be further extended, so that they bring out various versions, more advanced versions of BrahMos - not just for the two countries but also for allies globally," he said.
Answering why India needs such weapons, Gupta said, "We have been a country that has faced invasions for thousands and thousands of years - invasions of all kinds - not just military invasions but also invasions of culture, religions and invasions of the knowledge system, so we have the right to defend ourselves. Incidentally and fortunately for us, we are located in a very strategic geopolitical region."
"The Indian Ocean, almost 50 to 60 per cent of world trade passes through this region. And around 35-40 per cent of the world's energy requirements are transported through the Indian Ocean region. In our own case, 90 per cent of our trades in terms of volume are being carried out through these sea routes, so we can not afford to neglect," he added.
Additionally, he reasoned that, with India's rising economic status - already the 4th-largest economy in the world - India should remain "cautious". Speaking further on the BrahMos missile advancement, Gupta said, "The current visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin will further strengthen cooperation in this key area." (ANI)