Russian Arms Exporters Accuse India’s BrahMos Aerospace of Foul Play

Several Russian missile makers have accused India of “discrediting” their weapon systems and spoiling their chances in the global market through the aggressive marketing of the BrahMos cruise missile developed jointly by the two countries, PTI reports.

BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture of the two countries, has discredited export versions of Russian anti-ship missiles like Moskit (NATO name Sunburn) and Club, the military news wire of the official news agency ITAR-TASS said.

During a recent defense industry expo in Indonesia, BrahMos Aerospace displayed a poster comparing the characteristics of its missile with those of other missiles available in the international market, the report said.

The news agency said BrahMos Aerospace’s marketing activities at Jakarta were directed at “discrediting and squeezing” Russian anti-ship missiles out of the global market. Quoting unnamed defense industry officials, it questioned the expediency of joint ventures with foreign countries like the BrahMos project.

The BrahMos, named after the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers, is described by India and Russia as an example of the cutting edge defense hardware that can be created through cooperation. The missile has been inducted into the Indian Navy.

An ARMS-TASS correspondent was told by several officials of the Russian defense industry at the Indonesian exhibition that BrahMos was fielded against not only missiles of third countries but also Russian missile systems like Moskit, Club and Kh-55, the agency reported.

The BrahMos poster was virtually an “anti-ad” of the Russian anti-ship missiles, said the report, which accused “Indian specialists” of lying as characteristics quoted by them are supposed to be Russia’s “top secrets” to which they could never have any access.

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