India: Rajnath Singh to inaugurate BrahMos Aerospace Integration and Testing Facility in Lucknow
New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the BrahMos Aerospace Integration and Testing Facility in Lucknow on Sunday.
As per the Defence Minister's Office, Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the facility at around 11 am.
"At around 11.00 AM today, 11th May, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh will virtually inaugurate the BrahMos Aerospace Integration and Testing Facility in Lucknow," the post said.
Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone for the Defence Technology & Test Centre and BRAHMOS Manufacturing Centre, established by the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, on December 26, 2021.
According to an official release, a first-of-its-kind Defence Technologies & Test Centre (DTTC), over approximately 22 acres, is set up to accelerate the growth of the defence and aerospace manufacturing clusters in Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UP DIC).
The BRAHMOS Manufacturing Centre, announced by BrahMos Aerospace, is a modern, state-of-the-art facility in the Lucknow node of UP DIC. It covers over 200 acres and produces the new BRAHMOS-NG (Next Generation) variant, which carries forward the lineage of the BRAHMOS weapons system.
The state-of-the-art Defence Technologies & Test Centre is set up to implement the MoU exchanged between Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) and DRDO during DefExpo-2020 at Lucknow in the presence of the Defence Minsiter and the UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
It will facilitate industries through establishing a centralised state-of-the-art technology infrastructure, which will accelerate the product development and reduce the induction time & the turnaround time for the futuristic systems development through its six subcentres. This unique setup will act as a bridge for Industries & Startups to grasp the DRDO's IPRs, Patents & ToTs. It will extend holistic handholding to Industries, Startups & Academia in UP DIC. It will promote the growth of Industries & Startups in UPDIC and Ease of Doing Business and contribute to building an AtmaNirbhar Bharat.
The release stated that the BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missile system is one of the most successful missile programmes in the world. India has undertaken jointly in partnership with its closest strategic ally Russia.
As the world's best and fastest precision-guided weapon, BRAHMOS has fortified India's deterrence power in the 21st century. Designed and developed by the India-Russia JV entity BrahMos Aerospace, the supersonic cruise missile BRAHMOS has continued to evolve as the most versatile weapon in its genre. To carry forward this excellent lineage, BrahMos Aerospace has initiated work on a new, more advanced variant of the missile - BRAHMOS-NG. This new missile, having smaller, lighter and smarter dimensions, would be designed for deployment on a wider number of modern military platforms, including land, sea, underwater and air. It will hugely bolster the Indian military's modern combat capability and flexibility in the next few years.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times of Oman
an hour ago
- Times of Oman
Canada labels Khalistani extremists a national security threat for the first time
In a notable shift, Canada has officially identified 'Khalistani extremists' as a national security threat in its latest intelligence report. The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), in its 2025 annual report to Parliament, stated that although there were no Khalistani extremist-related attacks within Canada in 2024, the continued involvement of Canada-based individuals in violent activities remains a serious threat to Canadian national security and interests. This marks the first time the Canadian government has explicitly referred to Khalistanis as 'extremists.' The report noted that only a small number of individuals are categorized as such, based on their use of Canadian territory to promote, fundraise for, or plan violent actions—primarily targeting India. India has long raised concerns about the presence and activities of Khalistani extremists in Canada. Over the years, New Delhi has submitted more than 20 extradition requests involving individuals linked to terrorism and violence, including those associated with the 1985 Air India bombing, which killed 329 people. The CSIS report further stated that these Canada-based Khalistani extremists (CBKEs) aim to establish an independent state of Khalistan, primarily in Punjab, India, using or supporting violent methods. It also highlighted that both real and perceived threats from Khalistani extremism have fueled Indian concerns about foreign interference in Canada. This acknowledgment by Canadian intelligence may help address India's longstanding complaints and improve diplomatic relations. The announcement coincides with a recent meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Alberta. The leaders agreed to restore diplomatic ties, including appointing new high commissioners and resuming trade negotiations. Relations between the two nations had significantly deteriorated after former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of involvement in the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar—claims that were never substantiated with public evidence.
Times of Oman
3 hours ago
- Times of Oman
India's forex reserves inch closer to record high; jumps to $699 billion
New Delhi: India's foreign exchange reserves (forex) extended their gains, jumping $2.294 billion to $698.950 billion in the week ending June 13, official data released by the Reserve Bank of India showed. At the latest monetary policy meet, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra said the foreign exchange kitty was sufficient to meet 11 months of the country's imports and about 96 per cent of external debt. With this weekly jump, the forex kitty is close to its all-time high of USD 704.89 billion in September 2024. The latest RBI data showed that India's foreign currency assets (FCA), the largest component of foreign exchange reserves, stood at USD 589.426 billion. According to RBI data, the gold reserves currently amount to USD 86.316 billion. Central banks worldwide increasingly accumulating safe-haven gold in their foreign exchange reserves kitty, and India is no exception. The share of gold maintained by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its foreign exchange reserves has almost doubled since 2021, till recently. In 2023, India added around USD 58 billion to its foreign exchange reserves, contrasting with a cumulative decline of USD 71 billion in 2022. In 2024, the reserves rose by a little over USD 20 billion. Foreign exchange reserves, or FX reserves, are assets held by a nation's central bank or monetary authority, primarily in reserve currencies such as the US Dollar, with smaller portions in the Euro, Japanese Yen, and Pound Sterling. The RBI often intervenes by managing liquidity, including selling dollars, to prevent steep Rupee depreciation. The RBI strategically buys dollars when the Rupee is strong and sells when it weakens.
Times of Oman
3 hours ago
- Times of Oman
LIC Housing Finance reduces interest rate in line with recent RBI repo rate cut
New Delhi: LIC Housing Finance has reduced its rate of interest on new home loans by 50 basis points, in line with the similar degree of repo rate cut by yje Reserve Bank of India (RBI). With this revision, interest rates on new home loan sanctions will now start from 7.50 per cent, effective June 19, 2025, coinciding with the company's 36th Foundation Day, it said in a statement Saturday. This move by LIC Housing Finance is aimed at passing on the benefit to new home loan customers to encourage home ownership and improve affordability. The recent frontloaded repo rate cut by the RBI was understandably aimed at boosting economy, which has relatively moderated. The policy rate cut and the subsequent decline in interest rates by banks will create demand for fresh credit, giving fresh life to the economy. After a total of 100 basis point repo rate reduction since February 2025, the scope for more rate cuts is limited, RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra had hinted after the latest monetary policy meeting. Tribhuwan Adhikari, MD and CEO, LIC Housing Finance said "As we mark our 36th Foundation Day, we remain committed to making home ownership more accessible. The rate cut is a continuation of our effort to align with RBI's policy direction and pass on the benefits to our customers." "We are confident this move will provide an added boost to housing demand, especially in the affordable and mid-income segments, where aspirations of owning a home are closely tied to interest rate dynamics," the MD and CEO added. LIC Housing Finance Ltd is a leading housing finance company having networks of offices across India and a representative office in Dubai. In addition, the Company also distributes its products through branches of its subsidiary LIC HFL Financial Services Ltd.
