LiveFist EXCLUSIVE: The Truth About BrahMos – Part I

Part I
Why Russia Won’t Induct BrahMos

There’s this fake earnest tone that everyone takes when they ask: Why is Russia not inducting the BrahMos? I mean, honestly, they’re our partners, so isn’t it a little suspicious that our equal partner won’t induct it?

Well, last month, Moscow forwarded an unsolicited note to the Indian government, after the issue was taken up suo moto by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in December 2007. In it, the hard truth, one that the mandarins who worked the BrahMos deal knew all about before the deal went through, but did nothing to sidestep it or account for it in any way. The note contained a line that runs as follows:

“The Russian Federation is constitutionally barred from inducting into operational commission any weapons or weapon systems that are not manufactured wholly by government controlled units or agencies under the Russian Federation and on Russian territory.”

When the BrahMos joint venture agreement was signed in 1998 through an inter-governmental pact (for execution between DRDO and NPO Mashinostroyenia), the contract said that the JV would jointly develop and manufacture missiles for the Republic of India, Russian Federation and friendly countries identified after due and subsequent consulations between both.

Generally speaking, this meant that both countries would induct the missile. But here’s the glitch: how could Russia agree to such a clause if it knew it couldn’t induct the BrahMos to begin with? The Indian side was caught sleeping, while a meaningless clause was pushed into the contract. The Russians got the money to see a project through, but have never had any intention to induct the missile. I mean, how could they! Their constitution, it now emerges, bars them from doing so.

India makes the inertial navigation system (INS) and the fire control system of the missile. Final integration of the missile system takes place in India. Ergo, no go for Moscow. Very convenient.

There’s more: Russia has no plans to make any constitutional amendments or induct the BrahMos at any time. The programme — a technological extention of the Yakhont/Onyx programme — was bailed financially by New Delhi. And here’s something else that’s really angering our men and women at BrahMos in Kirby place: the Russians have invested in a fresh new variant of the Yakhont/Onyx at their own expense, with the intention to field it as an export cruise missile like the BrahMos. So what happens to BrahMos then? Well, it’ll be inducted in large numbers into the Indian armed forces. What about costs? And what about exports? There’s dirt there too.

(Tomorrow Part II: How Russia Continues to Shortchange India on BrahMos)

Photo ©Copyright Reuters, reproduced from The Tribune

10 thoughts on “LiveFist EXCLUSIVE: The Truth About BrahMos – Part I”

  1. shiv is this going to be one more cooked up exclusive cobbled together from existing reports and passed off as “sources”..just like your atv exclusive was?

    if so, dont bother.

    btw, just to kind of shine a light on your claim ..russia is currently importing and installing french thermal imagers on its t-90s and is gonna buy the damocles pod.

    they wont buy the brahmos unless india licenses the tech to them for the ins and fire control system. why should we?
    and ya, we already know russians provide the propulsion, so dont rake up that dawg again

  2. Shiv whether this is your exclusive or not or whether you’ve cobbled up from sources, Indian Express will still pick up your story and stick it up as thiers as a page 1 exclusive…Blooody theives, they steal stories from here and pass it off as thier own exclusive…no shame..chors, thieves, racketeers, look at thier desperation, any shit you post here, appears in Express….even this sory will come out in some days with Manu’s byline !!!

    Bloody impotent eunuchs, Manu, Pranab, Shishir and Shekhar….the copy cats have no sense discretion or what, whatever shit Manu takes from here, they take it happily..bastards

  3. Jai has already made the disclaimer on behalf of DRDO-Rakshak…. no attack on DRDO, lest you be rediculed for being Lifafa, un-patriotiic, scam-monger etc

  4. Mr. Aroor, I disagree with your statement that the “Indian side was caught sleeping”.

    India is not required, either legally or otherwise, to “pore” over the Russian constitution prior to conducting business with Russia. Hence, this is clearly a case of cheating from the Russian side. The note sent by them is a clear violation and last-minute reneging from the terms of the contract, and India must raise this issue to Russian govt.

    This incident may also be an emerging pattern of Russian intent in this new model of partnerships (like Brahmos, and now PAK-FA). The Russian side clearly intends to “enlist” India as a financier only; ;
    that it is proceeding with a local Yakhont-based competitor to the Brahmos may be evidence of this. This missile may well incorporate Indian inputs “gleaned” from the Brahmos.

    Whatever be the case, Russian actions— like conflicting clauses and producing a competitor to Brahmos — don’t have explanation, and only Russian side knows why it is doing all this. The Indian govt. and Brahmos aerospace must now ask “tough” questions to Russia.

    Thank you.

  5. “The Russian Federation is constitutionally barred from inducting into operational commission any weapons or weapon systems that are not manufactured wholly by government controlled units or agencies under the Russian Federation and on Russian territory.”

    What utter crap! Why can’t they manufacture the BrahMos in Russia?

  6. Infact the Russian version was supposed to be manufactured in Russia. Brahmos company of India/Russia was not supposed to supply it to Russa as a whole. Just the giudence module.

  7. This constitutional hassle was known and in the open (public) for a couple of years now. Theres absolutely nothing new in this report.

    Look at it from the Indian POV.. we got an excellent missile for a good price, speed as well as ToT. Export is a by-product. True, the Russians may be playing a game here, but if you look at it, our primary aims have been met, and how.

  8. >>Jai has already made the disclaimer on behalf of DRDO-Rakshak…. no attack on DRDO, lest you be rediculed for being Lifafa, un-patriotiic, scam-monger etc

    Abe bhosdi ke paki buradiah, why dont you just put a carnation in your ear and love some goats hain? tum paki indian blogs me kyu aate hon apni marwane ko?

    chutiap ki had hain yaar

  9. >>Jai has already made the disclaimer on behalf of DRDO-Rakshak…. no attack on DRDO, lest you be rediculed for being Lifafa, un-patriotiic, scam-monger etc

    Abe bhosdi ke paki buradiah, why dont you just put a carnation in your ear and love some goats hain? tum paki indian blogs me kyu aate hon apni marwane ko?

    chutiap ki had hain yaar

  10. >>”The Russian Federation is constitutionally barred from inducting into operational commission any weapons or weapon systems that are not manufactured wholly by government controlled units or agencies under the Russian Federation and on Russian territory.”

    What utter crap! Why can’t they manufacture the BrahMos in Russia?

    mihir bhaiji apun log intel or western samaan use karte hain, roosi no like all that. unko apna sadiyal 1980 waala local processor hi use karne ko mangta hain

    its also politics yaar. if forced, they are using french maal, no?

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