Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 8 (HBTV): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday hailed the establishment of the BrahMos Missile Integration Unit in Lucknow as a landmark development in India’s defence capabilities, stating that weapons made in Lucknow ‘will shake the enemy’.

The facility, developed under the Defence Industrial Corridor initiative, will produce BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. This step is seen as a boost to India’s indigenous defence production and a move to reduce dependency on imported weapon systems.

Addressing a public gathering in Gorakhpur, CM Yogi said, ‘The biggest terror state is Pakistan. BrahMos is a missile that targeted a Pakistani aircraft recently and it will now be manufactured in Lucknow. Weapons will be made that will shake the enemy.’

His remarks come amid Operation Sindoor, an ongoing Indian military campaign targeting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The BrahMos unit is also part of the Make in India initiative, aimed at achieving self-reliance in defence manufacturing and establishing Lucknow as a major defence production hub.

The Chief Minister also urged citizens to stay vigilant against ‘anti-national’ elements and to boycott anyone who acts against the nation’s interests.

‘We are secure when our country is secure, and that happens when we all keep the nation first. The public should be aware of anyone who makes any statement that is anti-national and boycott them,’ he added.

Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya echoed Adityanath’s views, describing the BrahMos unit as a critical achievement within the Uttar Pradesh Defence Corridor.

‘Under the defence corridor, the historic unit for integration of BrahMos missile is an important step towards making India a superpower. This is a huge achievement for PM Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, UP CM Yogi Adityanath and the double-engine government. The more it is appreciated, the less it is. I express gratitude to all scientists and engineers of DRDO,’ he said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh addressed the event virtually, expressing his satisfaction with the development. He explained his absence from the event, citing urgent matters requiring his presence in Delhi.

‘At the inauguration of the BrahMos Integration & Testing Facility Centre today, I feel delighted to speak with you. I wanted to attend in person. But you know why I couldn't come. Looking at the situation we are facing, it was important for me to be in Delhi. So, I am joining you via video conferencing,’ Singh stated.

On December 26, 2021, Rajnath Singh had laid the foundation stone for both the Defence Technology & Test Centre and the BrahMos Manufacturing Centre in Lucknow, established by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

According to an official release, the Defence Technologies & Test Centre (DTTC), spread across 22 acres, aims to accelerate growth in the defence and aerospace manufacturing sectors within the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UP DIC).

The BrahMos Manufacturing Centre, developed by BrahMos Aerospace, is a state-of-the-art facility covering over 200 acres in the Lucknow node of UP DIC. It will produce the new BRAHMOS-NG (Next Generation) variant, continuing the legacy of the BRAHMOS weapons system.

(ANI)