Developed through a joint venture between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile forms a vital component of India’s defence capability. With the upcoming inauguration of a dedicated production unit in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh is poised to become a central hub for BrahMos manufacturing.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to inaugurate the facility on 11 May. The plant, worth Rs 3 billion, will have the capacity to produce between 80 and 100 missiles annually. The foundation stone for the unit was laid in 2021 as part of the Defence Industrial Corridor, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018 during the state’s global investors’ summit.

A senior official from the Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPIEDA), the nodal agency for the project, confirmed that 1,600 hectares of land have been allocated for the first phase of the corridor. "The BrahMos unit itself is spread across 80 acres, while 117 hectares in the Lucknow node have been allotted to 12 companies, including Aerolloy Technologies, which contributes components used in space missions like Chandrayaan and fighter aircraft," the official added.

The corridor features six key nodes: Lucknow, Kanpur, Aligarh, Agra, Jhansi, and Chitrakoot. The Adityanath-led state government is preparing to roll out the second phase of land allocations in Aligarh. Land allotments in Lucknow, Kanpur, and Aligarh are nearly saturated, with about 60 per cent of the total project land already assigned. Jhansi, with a 1,000-hectare allocation, is also nearing half capacity.

Officials revealed that a government delegation, including Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, is currently in Athens to attract further investment in the defence sector. Additional efforts are being made to secure investment for the Chitrakoot node and the remaining parcels in Jhansi, as demand rises in Aligarh. The government initially earmarked 200 acres in Aligarh and now plans to offer another 200 acres in Phase II.

While initial challenges were faced in Agra due to environmental regulations under the Taj Trapezium Zone, these land-related issues have been resolved.

The BrahMos facility’s inauguration is expected to energise the entire Defence Industrial Corridor initiative. In addition to BrahMos Aerospace and Aerolloy Technologies, major defence firms such as Bharat Dynamics, Armoured Vehicles Nigam, Tata Technologies, Global Engineers, and WB Electronics India have proposed investments in the Jhansi node. Kanpur has attracted companies like Adani Defence Systems & Technologies, Ananth Technologies, and Genser Aerospace, while Aligarh will host Anchor Research Labs LLP and Amitec Electronics.

The corridor has also partnered with IIT Kanpur and IIT BHU in Varanasi as Centres of Excellence to support research and development. The state has already received investment proposals exceeding Rs 28 billion for various nodes, and officials are actively showcasing the project to attract further investment.