NEW DELHI, 14 June 2004 — India successfully test fired Brahmos, the supersonic cruise missile which is part of Indo-Russian joint venture, yesterday from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, about 15 km from Balasore, defense sources said.
Launched from a mobile launcher at around 12.15 p.m. amid incessant rains, the test was a routine one to gauge the performance parameters of the missile, sources said.
With the Brahmos supersonic missile at an advanced stage of trial evaluation, the Indian artillery might become the first in the world to deploy a missile of this class. As it has a range of 290 km and capacity to carry a warhead of 200 to 300 kg, the Brahmos will easily outstrip the US Tomahawk and MLRS-fired ATACMS (Artillery Tactical Missile System) missiles, analysts said.
Through its ability to accurately destroy targets deep inside enemy territory without fear of interception, the Brahmos will provide force-multiplier capabilities to the army’s strike formations.
Apart from Brahmos signaling the strength of the Indian military, as it is a joint Indo-Russian venture it symbolizes diplomatic proximity of the two nations. It derives its name from the Brahmaputra and Moscow rivers in the two countries. India’s Defense Research and Development Organization and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia established a joint venture in February 1998, leading to the development of the missile.
India May Send Medical Team to Iraq
India will not be sending troops to Iraq but may send a team of army doctors and nurses to assist in rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts, it was reported yesterday.
The Indian Express newspaper quoted “officials involved in planning the operation” as saying that “the idea was to win the hearts and minds of Iraqis and tell them that India was with them in their hour of need.”
A Defense Ministry official, however, said there was no definite plan yet to send such a team. He said that the report was “speculative.”
