BrahMos booth at the international exhibition
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BrahMos booth at the international exhibition |
On February 12, 1998 the Agreement between the Russian and Indian governments was signed about cooperation in the area of development and production of missile complexes with an anti-ship missile.
It was an important step forward in military and technical cooperation between Russia and India. It was for the first time in the history, when such an agreement was reached between our countries, and immediately the realization of the joint development of the high-tech and very efficient missile weapon, a new promising form of cooperation, started.
There were several preceding events:
In September, 1993 the Indian Embassy in Moscow on behalf of its government sent to the Chairman of the State Committee on the Defense Industry a proposal on foundation of a joint venture with participation of NPO Mashinostroyenia for coordination of development and marketing of anti-ship missile complexes to the JV partners and third countries.
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Visit of the Indian President J.A.Kalam to NPO Mashinostroyenia |
Joint development with approximately equal financial and technical contributions of the partners was selected as most reasonable form of cooperation, and a joint venture was considered the best form of the work coordination.
In August, 1994 negotiations were held in India regarding foundation of a joint organization, where representatives of the Russian government, the State Committee on Defense Industry, governmental organization Rosvooruzhenie and top managers of NPO Mashinostroyenia took part. In course of negotiations two documents were signed (Protocol of Intentions and Minutes of Meeting).
In February, 1995, the Feasibility Study and the Agreement on the joint venture foundation were concluded.
The feasibility study substantiated the benefits of joint development of the anti-ship missile weapon and gave comparative analysis of missile parameters being operated and designed by leading countries.
The missile design was supposed to be universal, i.e. capable to be launched from various platforms such as mobile ground launches, surface ships, submarines and aircraft. Requirements for the missile configuration, its systems and for the overall complex systems were projected.
Development of missile complexes started with a costal mobile complex.
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Mobile launcher of BrahMos cruise missile |
It must be noted that JV foundation and progressing the works was a hard job. The first response from many ministries and agencies was negative assessment of the joint venture feasibility, since there was no legal basis for that.
In December, 1995 the joint venture was registered. A.Sivathanu Pillai was appointed the managing director of the joint venture and A.V.Khromushkin was elected the Board of Directors chairman.
In January, 1997 the Russian President issued a decree to approve the cooperation with India in development and production of missile complexes with anti-ship missiles and foundation of the Russian-Indian joint venture (BrahMos JV).
To found the above organization and to support its activities, the Russian government was requested to prepare a separate Russian-Indian Intergovernmental Agreement. On February 12, 1998 this Agreement was signed
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Visit of the Russian President V.V. Putin to BrahMos JV office |
In this document the Sides agreed to cooperate by foundation of a joint organization for financing, development coordination, production and marketing of the products in the form of joint stock company registered in the Republic of India .
Partners of this joint company (organization) were identified as NPO Mashinostroyenia from the Russian Side, with the authorized fund percentage of 49.5%; and Defense Research and Development Organization, from the Indian Side, with the authorized fund percentage of 50.5%.
Simultaneously financial issues of the joint project were rectified. According to the Russian governmental decrees the Russian Ministry of Finance provided NPO Mashinostroyenia, the founder of the joint Russian-Indian organization, with financial assets.
After signing the Intergovernmental Agreement and issue of several more governmental decrees, in July 1999 , the first contract was concluded between NPO Mashinostroyenia and BrahMos JV and the joint work on missile complexes development commenced.
The first successful flight trial of BrahMos missile carried out on June 12,2001 from the shore-based stationary launcher, validated its high performance and was highly estimated by the Presidents of Russia and India. It also aroused a vivid interest of the Indian Naval Command to this missile.
The Indian Navy offered the first ship of project 61 ĢŻ (Rajput) for deployment and test-firing of BrahMos anti-ship missile and later a pontoon was allocated for an underwater launch.
In course of developmental trials of BrahMos missile, as of June, 2016, more than 50 successful test-firings were carried out. Failure-free flight trials, which confirmed reliability, combat efficiency and readiness of BrahMos missile for serial production, allowed to open the phase of the project commercial realization with production of various configuration missiles in Russia, as well as the missiles integration in India.
The decision taken by the Indian Side has begun delivery of combat missiles to the Indian Navy and Army, and later to the Indian Air Force.
The Intergovernmental Agreement dated 12.02.1998 stipulates that BrahMos JV products will be sold to the third countries according to the National Laws of the Sides (only to the countries included into the list approved by the Sides).
Development of the air-borne version of the missile is now under way, and its flight trials are scheduled for
2016.
BrahMos project has proven its viability and efficiency. It has been highly estimated by the Russian President V.V.Putin and the Indian President A.Kalam and now is considered an example of fruitful long-term cooperation in the high-tech field by the highest political echelons.
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Visit of the Russian Defense Minister S.K.Shoigu to BrahMos JV office |
During the visit of the Russian President to India on December 4-5, 2004 , the progress of BrahMos project was discussed with the Indian political leaders and got their highest esteem. On December 5, 2004 the Russian President was invited to inauguration of BrahMos JV new premises in New-Delhi.
On May 24, 2005 , when the President of India A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was visiting the Russian Federation , he also came to NPO Mashinostroyenia and among other things was informed about the status of BrahMos project.
According to Indian newspaper «The Hindu» dated May 25, 2005 , after his visit to NPO Mashinostroyenia the President of India said: “This is the unique missile impossible to find anywhere else in the world. There is a good market for it and our countries will be actively promoting it there”.
Ten years, which passed after the conclusion of the Intergovernmental Agreement, have yielded some fruits.
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BrahMos CM firing from various sea-borne platforms |
BrahMos project has allowed us:
• to establish the mechanisms of joint develīpment of sophisticated high-tech products;
• to demonstrate good indices of economical efficiency. For example, the Russian Side has received more financial resources than it contributed into the authorized capital of BrahMos JV;
• to maintain a longstanding cooperation between domestic companies and achieve mobilization readiness for serial production of domestic anti-ship cruise missiles;
• to revive old ties between subcontractors (more than 40 enterprises, about 20 thousand employees), to ensure their upgrading with high technologies;
• to put into operation new production facilities, to master new methods for designing and production of missile complexes and their components;
• to provide access to certain technologies of the foreign partner;
• to commence production in Russia of missile critical components earlier manufactured in CIS territories;
• to gain serious political assets.
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BrahMos missile firing from the shore-based launcher |
In August, 2014 the top manager of BraMos JV changed. Instead of A.Sivathanu Pillai, who guided the Company for a long period, Sudhir Kumar Mishra was appointed its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with his rich experience in missile engineering, as well as in military and technical cooperation.
Works under BraHmos project continue, to improve the missile performance, efficiency and versatility. The missile with advanced performance will meet the Customer’s high requirements and ensure new orders for the joint venture .