India and Russia Set to Approve BrahMos-II Hypersonic Missile Featuring Russian Propulsion and Indian EW-Resistant Avionics

India and Russia are reportedly in the final stages of approving the BrahMos-II, a next-generation hypersonic cruise missile designed to reach speeds of Mach 7 and a range of up to 1,500 kilometers. The new missile, developed jointly by BrahMos Aerospace—a collaboration between India’s DRDO and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya—aims to succeed the current BrahMos series with far greater speed, endurance, and survivability against modern air defenses.

A Leap into Hypersonic Domain

The BrahMos-II, also referred to as BrahMos-2K, represents the most ambitious phase of the Indo-Russian missile partnership since the early 2000s. While the original BrahMos became the world’s fastest operational supersonic cruise missile with speeds around Mach 3, its successor pushes deep into the hypersonic regime—where sustained flight above Mach 5 introduces unique challenges of heat, plasma formation, and control.

At the heart of BrahMos-II lies a Russian scramjet propulsion system, derived from the technological lineage of the 3M22 Zircon missile. The scramjet (supersonic combustion ramjet) allows the missile to maintain speeds near Mach 7 for long durations, dramatically shrinking response times for targets. Unlike traditional rocket-powered ballistic missiles, BrahMos-II will fly a lower, maneuverable trajectory, making it far harder to detect or intercept.

Indian Seeker, Indigenous Electronics

Whereas propulsion expertise is drawn from Russian programs, the avionics, seekers, and electronic warfare (EW) systems are being developed domestically by Indian scientists. DRDO engineers are focusing on building indigenous guidance systems capable of maintaining accuracy under intense thermal stress and heavy jamming. The missile’s EW-resistant avionics suite will enable it to operate effectively in contested electromagnetic environments—crucial for modern warfare where GPS denial and radar spoofing are routine.

The seeker package reportedly combines active radar and imaging sensors, allowing the missile to identify and engage maritime or land targets with high precision, even at extreme speeds.

Range and Multi-Platform Capability

According to program sources, BrahMos-II is expected to achieve a strike range of up to 1,500 km, significantly expanding beyond the original BrahMos’s 300–500 km range. While export variants will likely remain restricted under the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) limits, India’s own configuration could exploit its full range potential.

The missile is designed for multi-platform deployment—from land-based launchers, surface ships, and submarines, with future potential for an air-launched version. Its modular design mirrors the versatility that made the BrahMos family integral to India’s Army, Navy, and Air Force strike doctrines.

Program Timeline

The concept for BrahMos-II was first introduced in the early 2010s, following the success of the original BrahMos. Formal development agreements were signed soon after, setting in motion a series of ground-based scramjet tests and computational fluid dynamics trials in both India and Russia.

By 2021–2024, engineers reportedly conducted combustor and materials testing to validate sustained high-temperature performance. Sources within the Indian defense establishment indicate that prototype testing could begin around 2025–2026, with flight trials to follow soon after. If successful, the first operational units could be inducted before 2030.

Strategic Significance

The BrahMos-II will mark a defining moment in India’s missile evolution—signaling entry into the global hypersonic league alongside the United States, Russia, and China. Once operational, it will drastically cut down strike response times and allow India to hit time-sensitive or high-value targets deep within enemy territory before they can react.

For Russia, the program reinforces its long-standing defense technology cooperation with India, particularly at a time when Moscow’s access to Western technology is constrained. Joint development also strengthens the strategic autonomy of both nations in the high-speed weapons domain.

Despite the optimism, BrahMos-II faces steep technical hurdles. Sustained scramjet operation at Mach 7 requires advanced heat-resistant composites, high-precision control algorithms, and miniaturized avionics that can survive extreme G-forces. Guidance under plasma sheathing remains a key obstacle, as ionized air around the missile can block radar and GPS signals.

Program delays have already occurred due to material sourcing and integration complexity, but both DRDO and NPO Mash are reportedly accelerating collaboration through a renewed 2025–2030 roadmap.

If successful, BrahMos-II will serve as a technological bridge to future hypersonic strike systems—including air-launched and dual-role variants capable of conventional or potentially strategic missions. It could also pave the way for India’s indigenous Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) to evolve into a fully deployable platform.

As India and Russia finalize approvals for full-scale testing, the Mach 7 BrahMos-II stands poised to redefine conventional deterrence in the Indo-Pacific, establishing India as one of the few nations mastering operational hypersonic technology.