Pakistan cannot forget the destruction caused by BrahMos during Operation Sindoor and now, their fear is going to further increase with no escape in sight. While BrahMos has a range of 450 kms and it flies at almost three times the speed of sound at Mach 2.8. This is why it became impossible for Pakistan to detect and destroy these missiles en route. Now, India is all set to almost double its range, bringing entire Pakistan within the range of BrahMos and that too, without crossing the borders.
According to reports, India has fast-tracked an extended-range variant of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile that will reach roughly 800 kilometres — a capability that would put nearly the entire territory of neighbouring Pakistan within conventional strike range. Tests are already underway and the variant is expected to be operational within about two years, according to reports citing programme officials and defence publications.
Developments so far centre on propulsion and guidance upgrades. Engineers have modified the missile’s ramjet engine and optimized its cruise profile so the weapon can operate at higher altitudes, a change that increases aerodynamic efficiency and extends range. According to reports, further trials are focused on validating the missile’s integrated navigation — a blend of internal inertial navigation systems (INS) and external global navigation satellite inputs (GNSS) — to ensure accuracy and resilience against jamming. Thus, BrahMos with 800km range, anti-jamming feature and a speed greater than Mach 2.8 would be impossible for enemies to track and stop.
Achieving the extended reach has involved a mix of engineering trade-offs: lighter airframes through advanced composites, small reductions in structural weight to allow for an increased fuel load, and software and avionics tweaks to optimize cruise performance. While most of the ramjet modifications are complete, only “a few more tests” are required before the system is declared ready for induction.
The operationalisation of an 800-km BrahMos would mark a significant leap from the missile’s earlier versions — which were deployed with ranges of roughly 290–450 km after successive upgrades — and would strengthen India’s conventional long-range precision-strike posture across land, sea and air launch platforms. Defence analysts say the longer-range variant is intended to enhance deterrence and tactical options without crossing into declared nuclear delivery roles.
Strategically, the move is likely to sharpen regional security dynamics. An 800-km capability would put deeper strategic targets across Pakistan within reach of conventional BrahMos strikes, prompting New Delhi’s rivals to reassess their force posture, air-defence deployments and crisis-management doctrines. Islamabad has not issued an official response to the recent reporting as of publication. Analysts warn such capability expansions tend to spur counter-measures, diplomatic protests and heightened alert levels in neighbours.
BrahMos Aerospace and Indian defence organisations have for years pursued incremental upgrades — from boosted boosters to indigenous seekers and air-launched adaptations — and the 800-km effort appears to be the next step in that evolution. According to the reports, the programme’s timeline targets readiness by the end of 2027, with induction and platform integrations to follow once government clearances and final tests are complete.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
