BrahMos unit in Thiruvananthapuram

BrahMos missile should arguably be the greatest contribution born out of the India-Russia relationship. BrahMos has been vital for India in major defence operations, and its lethality was last put to use against Pakistan in Operation Sindoor.

The symbolic name BrahMos is derived from the names of two major rivers in India and Russia. BrahMos, a supersonic cruise missile named after the Brahmaputra, the widest river in India, and Mos from the Moskva River in Russia, is the ‘Brahmastra’ in the Indian defence arsenal. A unit of BrahMos Aerospace Limited is operating in Chackai, Thiruvananthapuram. The components of BrahMos are manufactured there. Now it is almost certain that a second unit, which will completely manufacture the BrahMos missile, will come up in Thiruvananthapuram and in Nettukaltheri, Kallikadu.

This comes after the Supreme Court granted permission to use 257 acres from the 457-acre land of the Nettukaltheri open prison for three projects, including a BrahMos missile unit.

The BrahMos unit will come up on 180 acres of land under the jurisdiction of the open prison in Nettukaltheri. The bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath granted permission to use the land in an interim application filed by the Kerala government. The state government had informed the Supreme Court that if it allocated land to BrahMos Aerospace Trivandrum Limited, it would allow Kerala to directly contribute to national security.

In addition, the Supreme Court also accepted the state government's request to allow 45 acres to the Sashastra Seema Bal, the central armed police force, and 32 acres to the Central Forensic Science University. The new generation versions of the BrahMos missile will be manufactured at the centre in Nettukaltheri. The popularity of BrahMos even attained global headlines after Operation Sindoor. Many friendly countries of India have already expressed their willingness to buy BrahMos. In addition to the sub-centre in Chackai, the main centre of BrahMos will also come up in the Thiruvananthapuram district, making the capital city a crucial place in India's defence map.

Thiruvananthapuram, home to the Vizhinjam port, the Southern Air Command headquarters at Akkulam, the Navy's Armament Inspection Centre, and the Army Centre at Pangode, is evolving into a strategic area of India’s defence industry. The arrival of the BrahMos centre will pave the way for the comprehensive development of the Kattakada and Kallikkadu areas.

With the arrival of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), the Central Armed Police Force will establish there presence in Kerala. The National Forensic Sciences University will also have cyber defence centres and forensic innovation centres. Steps to complete infrastructure developments, including the Ring Road and the Nemom tunnel, on a war footing should now be expedited.