LUCKNOW'S BRAHMOS FACILITY: A STRATEGIC INFLECTION POINT FOR UTTAR PRADESH AND INDIAN AIR POWER

The inauguration of the BrahMos Aerospace production facility in Lucknow marks a watershed moment in India’s defence trajectory— one that I believe will be studied in strategic circles for decades to come.

- AIR CHIEF MARSHAL RKS BHADAURIA (RETD)

Having witnessed the evolution of the BrahMos program from its inception and championed its integration across all three services during my tenure, I can assert with conviction that this facility represents far more than industrial expansion. It is a strategic recalibration that positions Uttar Pradesh at the intersection of national security, technological sovereignty, and economic transformation.

During my years in service, particularly as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Air Command and later as Chief of the Air Staff, I observed firsthand how geographical distribution of defence manufacturing capabilities directly impacts operational readiness. The concentration of critical defence production in peninsular India, while historically logical, created vulnerabilities that became apparent during crisis scenarios.

The Lucknow facility addresses this strategic asymmetry. Positioned in India’s demographic and geographical heartland, it provides the Indian Air Force—and indeed all armed forces—with a production hub that is equidistant from both western and northern theaters. This is not merely about logistics; it's about operational resilience. In conflict scenarios, the ability to sustain missile production and maintenance away from coastal vulnerability zones could prove decisive.

TECHNOLOGICAL SOVEREIGNTY: THE REAL FORCE MULTIPLIER

Throughout my career, I have been a vocal advocate for indigenous defence manufacturing—not out of economic nationalism, but from hard operational experience. Import dependencies create strategic vulnerabilities that adversaries can exploit. Delays in spare parts, technology denials during crises, and the inability to customize systems to Indian operational requirements have repeatedly constrained our combat effectiveness.