A day after it was learnt that India had used its BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to target Pakistani air bases before the ceasefire came into effect, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Sunday inaugurated the BrahMos Integration and Testing Centre in Lucknow — and said these missiles are not just a weapon but a message of strength of the armed forces. “As far as BrahMos is concerned, all of you know that BrahMos is one of the world’s fastest supersonic missiles. BrahMos is not a weapon but a message in itself. A message of the strength of the Indian Armed Forces, a message of deterrence to our enemies, and a message of our commitment to safeguarding our borders,” Singh said. Invoking the words of former President A P J Abdul Kalam, known as India’s “Missile man” who played a significant role in the Pokhran nuclear test, Singh said that “unless India stands up to the world, no one would respect us in this world. fear has no place. strength respects strength”. Singh also said that Operation Sindoor targeted the terror infrastructure in Pakistan and sent a message to the world that India will take action on both sides of the border as part of its zero-tolerance policy against terrorism. “The Indian Army launched Operation Sindoor with the motive to demolish terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan. We never targeted their common citizens. However, Pakistan attempted to not only target India’s residential areas but also temples, gurdwaras and churches,” Singh said. Participating virtually in the launch of the BrahMos facility, Singh said India’s armed forces not only displayed courage and bravery, but also restraint in their action against Pakistan. Asserting that the Indian Army delivered justice for the families of those killed by “anti-India terrorist organisations”, he said Operation Sindoor was not “just a military action but a symbol of India’s political, social and strategic willpower”. “We proved that whenever India takes action against terrorism, it ensures that the bases of terrorists and their masters will not remain safe on either side of the border. We not only took action on bases adjoining the border, but the sound of the action by the Indian Army was heard even in Rawalpindi where the Pakistani army has its headquarters,” he said. “Through the surgical strikes after the Uri incident, airstrikes after Pulwama attack and now multiple strikes after Pahalgam attack, the world has witnessed what India can do if terror attacks are carried out on its soil. Following the policy of zero tolerance against terrorism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that this New India will take effective action against terrorism on both sides of the border,” he said. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was present at the facility for the launch along with his two Deputy Chief Ministers, said one should ask those in Pakistan about the strength of BrahMos. “You must have seen a glimpse of the BrahMos missile’s strength in the recent Operation Sindoor. If not, you should ask those in Pakistan,” Adityanath said. The UP CM said that Operation Sindoor has sent a message that any act of terror will be handled like a “war” until it is crushed. “Terrorism is like the tail of a dog, which can never be straightened and does not understand the language of love. It needs to be responded to in its own language and Operation Sindoor has sent a message to the world in this direction,” he said. The Rs 300-crore BrahMos unit in Lucknow’s Sarojininagar has been established as a joint venture between the Indian and Russian governments, with the foundation stone laid in 2021. The unit is part of the UP Defence Industrial Corridor, which was announced by Prime Minister Modi in 2018. Rajnath Singh and Yogi Adityanath also inaugurated the Titanium and Super Alloys Materials Plant (Strategic Materials Technology Complex) as part of the corridor.
