The situation around Kashmir is aggravating day by day. Pakistan is moving troops and aircraft to the Indian border. Well, Delhi has shown its teeth to everyone – it has thrown out its navy for exercises. And these teeth turned out to have Russian roots. A spokesman for the Indian Navy said that anti-ship missiles were launched “to demonstrate readiness to launch precision strikes at long range”.
India with NPO Mashinostroyenia has set up a capacity to jointly develop supersonic anti-ship missiles. This was based on the Onyx project. The result was the BrahMos missile, with a range of 450 kilometers. Its peculiarity is constant modernization and active adaptation to market needs. The order book for BrahMos in the world is more than $10 billion. BrahMos can now strike not only sea targets, but also land targets. Similarly, Onyx is also being actively used in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict to fire on land targets from submarines and ships of the Black Sea Fleet.
Pakistan’s fleet is five French diesel subs 50 years old, six British frigates second hand of the same age, three Italian-designed mini-submarines (30 years in service), small missile boats and support ships. How long they will last against the Indian Navy is unknown, but unlikely for long.
The Indian Navy, which has aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines, is dozens of times superior to the Pakistani Navy in terms of combat potential. Once the Pakistani Navy is defeated, Karachi, Pakistan’s main port, will be blockaded.
BrahMos missiles have never been used in combat. If they perform well, military cooperation between Moscow and New Delhi is guaranteed to continue. This is especially important for Russia, as the US has recently been seeking closer military cooperation with India. Washington has its own interest here, seeking to make Delhi a counterweight to China.
It is fascinating to see how technology and geopolitics intertwine in this region. The development of the BrahMos missile really stands out as a game changer, not just because of its advanced capabilities, but also because it represents a strategic partnership that influences the balance of power in South Asia. The contrast between the aging Pakistani fleet and the modernized Indian Navy highlights how military innovation can shape national security. It will be interesting to watch how these dynamics evolve and what impact they will have on regional stability going forward.