‘Nobody can replace’ Russia in India’s defense ties – ex-BrahMos chief (VIDEO)
Russia holds a unique place in India’s defense relationship that cannot be replaced by another country, former BrahMos Aerospace CEO Sudhir Mishra has said, adding that New Delhi can further deepen cooperation with Moscow while maintaining partnerships with other countries.
India is already expanding defense technology cooperation with Russia while developing ties with the US and other Western nations, Mishra told RT India. He said New Delhi’s policy of multi-alignment allows it to work with different partners without diminishing its relationship with Moscow.
“We have a very special relationship with Russia and nobody can replace it,” Mishra said. “It’s just not possible for any country to replace [it].”
Trust built through decades of scientific and technological cooperation has been central to the relationship, he said. BrahMos, jointly developed by India and Russia, is among the world’s fastest cruise missiles and has land, sea, and air variants. The missile was employed by Indian forces against Pakistani targets last year.
The project, where the Indian armed forces, Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) scientists, and BrahMos engineers collaborated with Russian scientists and military personnel, combined a corporate model, a financial framework, and close involvement of the designers, developers, and users of the system, Mishra said. He previously served as director general of the DRDO.
Mishra described joint ventures as “the way to go,” adding the BrahMos model gave India confidence to pursue the co-development of the AK-203 rifle.
India and Russia are also working together on technologies that feed into modern weapons development, rather than focusing only on finished systems, Mishra said, citing artificial intelligence, blockchain, precision manufacturing, advanced materials, and composites.
“We are working together with Russia to develop those technologies,” he said.
India’s drive for defense self-reliance has meanwhile expanded beyond DRDO to private companies and design bureaus within the country’s armed forces, Mishra noted.
