Brahmos Missile with an indigenous booster: Test Flight Successful

September 30, 2020

On September 30, 2020, the surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missile BrahMos with an indigenous booster and airframe section was successfully flight tested at Balasore, Odisha.

Brahmos

It was developed as a joint venture of DRDO (Defence Research Development Organization) and NPOM of Russia. It is named after the rivers Brahmaputra and Moskva. It has a flight range of 300 km. It is a two-stage missile. The solid propellant engine at the first stage and liquid ramjet in the second.

The range of Brahmos missile was increased to 450-600 km after India entered into the Missle Technology Control Regime (MTCR)

MTCR

India became a member of MTCR in 2016. The MTCR was started in 1987 by the G-7 countries. There are a total of 35 members in MTCR. The members of MTCR should establish national export control policies for cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, drones, space launch vehicles, remotely piloted vehicles, underlying components and technologies.

Different other treaties

Limited Ban Treaty

India has ratified the treaty. The treaty prohibits nuclear experiments in ground, outer space and under water.

Treaty on Outer Space

India signed the treaty in 1967. It prohibits countries to test nuclear weapons in the orbit of moon and other celestial bodies.

NPT

NPT is Non-Proliferation Treaty. India has not signed the treaty. India is one among the five countries that did not sign the treaty. The other four countries are South Sudan, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea. Three main objectives of NPT are non-proliferation, disarmament and right to peacefully use nuclear technology.

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty

This treaty intends to ban all nuclear explosions. So far 182 countries have signed the treaty after it opened for signature in 1996. India has still not signed the treaty.