Accelerated development of Brahmos-II hypersonic missile with a range of 1500 km and speeds reaching Mach 8 following the successful testing of scramjet technology by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India.

Hypersonic Thunder: India and Russia Rekindle Collaboration on BrahMos-II

Pump up the volume! The high-octane world of hypersonic missile development is about to heat up as India and Russia reignite their collaboration on the next-gen BrahMos-II after a series of significant milestones.

Time-Stamped Tea: Jun 02, 2025, 10:28 PM IST

Sit back and brace yourself, for the stage is set for India's entry into the top-tier of nations developing hypersonic capabilities, alongside the US, Russia, and China. The indigenous success of a scramjet engine by the DRDO has paved the way for the fast-tracking of BrahMos-II's hypersonic missile development, with reports hinting at drawing Mach 8 speeds and a 1,500 km strike range.

It Happened, Right Here: The existing BrahMos missile, birthed in 1998, has been keeping the world Guessing ever since. This supersonic cruise missile holds the crown as the world's swiftest, clocking speeds of up to Mach 3.5 and covering distances from 290 to 800 kilometres, depending on the model. In use across India's Army, Navy, and Air Force, the BrahMos has made a mark with its adaptability, being fielded in various configurations such as land, sea, air, and underwater launches.

Two's Company, Three's a Crowd: The present BrahMos missile system was the outcome of a successful partnership between India and Russia. Both nations share a 50-50 stake in the missile's technology; now, these two nations are expected to resume high-pressure discussions regarding the joint development of the BrahMos-II.

Dreaming at the Margins: First conceptualised over a decade ago by the Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace, the BrahMos-II project had been on the back burner due to several obstacles, including Russian reluctance to share hypersonic technology's cutting-edge secrets. However, a renewed international focus on hypersonic weapons has revitalized interest, putting the BrahMos-II back on the map.

The Race Is On: The BrahMos-II, once operational, will arm India with a critical capability to neutralize high-value, time-sensitive targets with lightning speed and pinpoint accuracy. Hypersonic missiles are like ninja stars in the sky – extremely challenging to intercept due to their low-altitude flight paths, agility, and breakneck speeds. With the BrahMos-II, India is not just keeping pace with the hypersonic game but is also gearing up to compete head-on.

Aerospace Ascendency: The development of the BrahMos-II is vital to India's broader goal of technological dominance in the aerospace and defence sectors. Significant progress is being made on the domestic front when it comes to manufacturing missile components, subsystems, and production. This move is unquestionably a stride toward realizing the objectives of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).

A Quick Peek at the News Scene:

READ | Indian prodigy, 17, cracks NASA website; honored... Lounging on a chai stall in...; did you say Burpapur, Bihar?

Trending Topics- BrahMos missile- Scramjet- Mach 8 speed- 1500 km strike range- BrahMos-II- What is BrahMos-II

[Enrichment Data: Here is a brief overview of the current status and expected timeline of the BrahMos-II development]

Technical Breakthroughs: In April 2025, India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) trumpeted the successful testing of a scramjet combustor for over 1,000 seconds, signaling readiness for hypersonic missile development.
Revitalized Collaboration: India and Russia are on the verge of rekindling high-level discussions and collaboration on the co-development of BrahMos-II, following delays caused in earlier years by technical obstacles, budgetary constraints, and technology transfer snags.
The Great Showcase: BrahMos-II made a splash at the Naval Defense Exhibition (NAVDEX) 2025, signifying ongoing progress and India’s ambitious plans to highlight its hypersonic prowess.
Design and Capabilities: The BrahMos-II is projected to hit Mach 6–8 speeds, clock a range of up to 1,500 kilometres, and weigh roughly 1.33 tonnes. The missile will leverage scramjet propulsion and will be designed to integrate seamlessly with platforms like the LCA Tejas Mk 2.
Funding and Acquisition: Despite concerns about escalating development and production costs, the project is forging ahead. Recent demonstrations confirm that public funding continues to back the development of BrahMos-II.
Expected Timeline: Given the current momentum, it's reasonable to expect major developmental milestones and potential operational readiness in the latter half of the 2020s.

Sources: [1][3][5]

*Notes:1. Operation Sindoor (2025): A significant military exercise involving India's armed forces.2. [Link removed due to lack of permissions]3. [Link removed due to lack of permissions]4. [Link removed due to lack of permissions]5. [Link removed due to lack of permissions]

Bollywood that showcases India's history and culture often portrays the passage of time through stories of careers, love, and technology, mirroring the country's progress. The development of the next-gen BrahMos-II missile, a product of collaboration between India and Russia, is a testament to this march of progress, paving the way for India to join the world's foremost nations in hypersonic capabilities. This ambitious project, with its potential to achieve Mach 8 speeds and boast a 1,500 km strike range, could write a new chapter in the annals of Indian science and technology.

Accelerated development of Brahmos-II hypersonic missile with a range of 1500 km and speeds reaching Mach 8 following the successful testing of scramjet technology by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India.