The Brahmos supersonic cruise missile forms the lynchpin of India's conventional missile arsenal.
The rocket has received intense public attention in recent days as Indian rivals are desperately trying to decode the majestic weapon, even turning to the help of spies.
What is Special About India's Brahmos Missile?
Less than two weeks ago, a senior scientist closely associated with the Brahmos missile program, who was working with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), was arrested by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) on charges of leaking sensitive information regarding the projectile to a Pakistani intelligence operative.
Investigations into the matter have revealed that the DRDO scientist named Pradeep Kurulkar was honey-trapped by a spy allegedly working for Pakistan's secret service, Inter-Services Intelligence.
Indian Army's Brahmos missile system takes part in the full dress rehearsal for the upcoming Republic Day parade, in New Delhi on January 23, 2023.
© AFP 2023 MONEY SHARMA
With this case gaining prominence in the media, Google searches about India's Brahmos stockpile have escalated manifold of late.
In this light, Sputnik India attempts to unveil the mystery behind the overall number of Brahmos missiles that are in operation/undergoing trials in the South Asian nation.
How Many Brahmos Missiles Does India Have in Service?
Officially, New Delhi has never made a statement about the exact figures of the Brahmos missiles which are operated by the three wings of its forces, that is:
the Indian Army,
Indian Air Force (IAF),
and Indian Navy.
INS Mormugao, the latest guided-missile Destroyer, successfully hit 'Bulls Eye' during her maiden Brahmos Supersonic cruise missile firing
© Photo : Indian Navy
In October 2020, an Indian defense publication cited a Chinese claim as suggesting that the number of this widely acclaimed weapon Brahmos stood at 14,000.
The report had come months after the Sino-Indian border stand-off in Ladakh, where New Delhi reportedly deployed the Brahmos missiles.
But many defense pundits term such figures to be a bit too far-fetched.
Going by official data, the IAF placed an order for 200 Brahmos missiles (air-launched variant) in 2012 with the acquisition valued at $1 billion.
In 2020, a squadron of 18 Su-30MKI warplanes was fitted with Brahmos missiles, with reports subsequently suggesting that the IAF was planning to purchase 200 units of the weapon from its manufacturer Brahmos Aerospace.
Also, the IAF is interested in procuring 400 units of the missile's next-generation model called the BrahMos-NG.
As per a statement by Pravin Pathak, the export director of Brahmos Aerospace, the design of the Brahmos-NG has been finalized and manufacturing of this variant is set to begin either by the end of 2023 or early next year.
On the other hand, in March 2023, the Indian Navy ordered 200 Brahmos missiles in a deal worth $2.5 billion.
The same month, the country's blue-water force announced that it will acquire the next-generation model of the missile's long-range Maritime Mobile Coastal Batteries, called NGMMCB LR in defense parlance.
Though the Indian Navy did not specify how many units of this variant will be acquired, the cost of the project is pegged at $212 million.
Like the air and sea arm of the South Asian nation's armed forces, the Indian Army also operates the Brahmos missile. The land-fired version of the missile was inducted into India's territorial army in 2007.
In 2018, the Indian Army was operating five regiments of the Brahmos missile, a fact unveiled by then-Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar during an event in Pune city of Maharashtra state.
A regiment generally features 65 missiles.