Lucknow, May 11, 2025: Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh hailed Operation Sindoor as a powerful symbol of India’s political, social, and strategic will during his virtual address at the inauguration of the BrahMos Integration and Testing Facility Centre in Lucknow. He emphasized that the operation demonstrated India’s resolute stand against terrorism and highlighted the unmatched capability and determination of the Indian Armed Forces.
“Operation Sindoor is not just a military mission—it reflects New India’s zero-tolerance policy against terrorism,” Singh stated. Citing past surgical and air strikes, he stressed that India will continue to act decisively, even across borders, to safeguard its citizens and sovereignty.
The Defence Minister underlined that while India’s operations targeted only terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and PoK, Pakistan retaliated by attacking civilian areas, including religious sites. He praised the Armed Forces for responding with valor and restraint, striking deep into hostile territory, even near Rawalpindi, the Pakistani military headquarters.
On the inauguration of the BrahMos Centre, Singh said the facility reinforces India’s self-reliance in defence and aligns with the ‘Make-in-India, Make-for-the-World’ vision. The Centre, located in the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor (UPDIC), will generate over 1,500 jobs and support local industrial and skill development. It will focus on integrating key missile subassemblies and will act as a catalyst for ancillary industries.
The 200-acre facility, built at a cost of ₹300 crore, was lauded as a milestone in India’s journey toward becoming a global defence manufacturing hub. The Defence Minister cited a Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) report indicating global military expenditure reached $2.7 trillion in 2024, calling it an opportunity for India to expand its export footprint.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, present at the inauguration, reiterated the Centre’s role in boosting local employment, defence innovation, and deterrence. He affirmed the state’s commitment to transforming Uttar Pradesh into a major defence production hub.
The event was attended by Deputy CMs Shri Keshav Prasad Maurya and Shri Brijesh Pathak, Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, DRDO Chairman Dr Samir V Kamat, BrahMos DG Dr Jaiteerth R Joshi, and other dignitaries from the central and state governments.
