Dr. A Sivathanu Pillai, the founder and former CEO of BrahMos Aerospace, recalled a memorable encounter with a commander in the Pakistani army who inquired about India’s willingness to sell its highly valued BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to Pakistan during an international arms show in Abu Dhabi. “It would even be free of cost for Pakistan,” was Pillai’s scathing reply. He then clarified that this statement was a reference to the recent use of BrahMos missiles against Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, highlighting the fact that Pakistan had firsthand experience with the missile’s capability in war rather than through purchase.
Originally intended as an anti-ship missile, the BrahMos missile—named after the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers—was the result of Indo-Russian cooperation. Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s goal for India to become a leader in cruise missile technology served as the impetus for its creation. Pillai promoted India’s pursuit of cruise missiles after researching their efficacy during the Gulf War.
Following conversations with Russian peers, it was discovered that Russia had a supersonic cruise missile engine, which served as the basis for BrahMos. With the addition of land, sea, air, and submarine launch capabilities to the design, BrahMos is now one of the most advanced and adaptable missile systems in the world.
As part of Operation Sindoor, India retaliated on May 10, 2025, by firing multiple BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles at strategic Pakistani airbases. The strikes, which apparently had precision levels of one meter, were directed against runways, hangars, and bunkers. The launch of more than 15 missiles destroyed vital Pakistani infrastructure, such as air defense systems and command centers. This was BrahMos’ first extensive combat deployment, proving its capacity to breach and overpower Pakistan’s highly advanced air defenses, which were supplied by China.
BrahMos operates at Mach 2.8, which makes it very challenging to track and intercept, according to Pillai. Its great stealth and low radar cross-section make it difficult for even the most sophisticated air defense systems to detect. These characteristics were crucial during Operation Sindoor since the Chinese and Pakistani air defense systems were unable to stop the approaching missiles.
The fight changed course after the BrahMos strikes, which compelled Pakistan to accept a truce. The operation sent a powerful deterrent message and undermined Pakistan’s strategic stance by demonstrating India’s capacity to carry out accurate, deep strikes. With other nations showing interest in acquiring the missile system, BrahMos’s combat-proven performance has further raised its export worth.
The conversation between Dr. Pillai and the Pakistani general in Abu Dhabi has come to represent BrahMos’s dual function as a strategic deterrent and a technological marvel. Instead of selling the missile to Pakistan, India validated years of joint work and missile technology innovation by showcasing its capabilities directly on the battlefield.
