"Such success doesn't come in a day": TMC's Kakoli Dastidar on BrahMos missiles

North 24 Parganas (West Bengal) [India], October 19 (ANI): Praising the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for years-long work on BrahMos missiles, Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar criticised Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for taking credit for the achievement, asserting that credit for Operation Sindoor should go to the soldiers, not the ruling party.
On Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's statement, Dastidar told reporters, "Such success doesn't come in a day. DRDO has been working on this for years... This should be attributed to them and the soldiers, not the BJP..."
On Saturday, highlighting the role of BrahMos in Operation Sindoor, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that the missile demonstrated that it has moved far beyond a trial and has become the greatest practical proof of national security. He said that every inch of Pakistan's territory is now within the reach of BrahMos.
BrahMos is a two-stage missile with a solid propellant booster engine as its first stage, which brings it to supersonic speed and then separates. The liquid ramjet or the second stage then takes the missile closer to 2.8 Mach speed in the cruise phase. Stealth technology and guidance system with advanced embedded software provides the missile with special features.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that the launch of the first batch of locally produced BrahMos missiles in Lucknow's aerospace facility symbolises India's growing confidence and strength.
Singh stated that the production facility in Lucknow will manufacture 100 BrahMos missiles, which have become the backbone of the armed forces, and supply them to the Indian Army and Navy.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony of the first batch of BrahMos missiles here, Singh said, "I believe that over time, along with the credibility of BrahMos, Lucknow's credibility has also grown. This project also symbolises the country's growing confidence and growing strength. Lucknow is one of the six nodes of the Uttar Pradesh Defence Corridor. Could anyone have imagined a few years ago that Lucknow would produce the country's most advanced missiles? This dream has been realised."
"This BrahMos facility not only symbolises the strength of our armed forces, but also sends a message that Uttar Pradesh is now ready to handle any challenge, whether it's internal security or external threats. Uttar Pradesh has now overcome its criminal image, and the Chief Minister deserves praise for this," he added.
Singh further said that India was overcoming challenges that emerged due to the disruption of the supply chain of spare parts, which he asserted was being used as a "weapon" by supplier countries.
"BrahMos has become the spine of the armed forces. Around 100 missiles will be launched from here every year. Missiles will be supplied to the Army, Navy, and Air Force. This BrahMos facility has been built on approximately 200 acres. Its total cost is approximately Rs 380 crore, and it will provide employment to hundreds of people. These days, we're seeing reports of supplier countries disrupting the supply of spare parts. This disruption of the supply chain is being used as a weapon. We are now overcoming this challenge," the Defence Minister said.
He further stated that the flagging off of BrahMos missiles from the Lucknow facility within five months of its inauguration was a "historic achievement" and a step towards ensuring the country's security and Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance).
Additionally, BrahMos operates on the 'Fire and Forget' principle, adopting a variety of flight paths on its way to the target. The missile's destructive power is enhanced due to the large kinetic energy on impact. Its cruising altitude could be up to 15 km, and the terminal altitude is as low as 5 meters. BRAHMOS carries a conventional warhead upto 200 kgs. (ANI)