Russia and India could reach an agreement to rekindle the BrahMos-2K hypersonic cruise missile project in 2025, reported RT.Com.
It’s thought the tech will be largely based on Russia’s Zircon missile – using a scramjet engine to reach speeds up to 8 Mach. With a low radar signature and greater manoeuvrability it would make BrahMos II almost impossible to intercept – with a range of 1,500 km.
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The BrahMos-2K is a next-generation hypersonic cruise missile jointly developed by India’s DRDO, building on the proven legacy of the supersonic BrahMos missile.
It is envisioned to achieve speeds of Mach 7–8 (approximately 8,000–9,800 km/h), a significant leap from the original BrahMos’s Mach 3.5, and is expected to have a range of up to 1,500 kilometres.
The project leverages advanced scramjet engine technology—notably derived from Russia’s Zircon (3M22 Zircon) missile—which enables sustained hypersonic speeds throughout its flight, resulting in extremely reduced reaction times for any adversary defence system.
Key Features And Capabilities:
Hypersonic Speed: BrahMos-2K’s top speed of Mach 7–8 will make it nearly impossible for conventional air defence systems to intercept upon approach.
Range And Payload: The missile’s projected range is approximately 1,500 km, and it is designed to be capable of carrying a conventional or nuclear warhead.
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Scramjet Propulsion: The missile uses a scramjet (supersonic combustion ramjet) for propulsion, which ensures that its velocity remains hypersonic even during the terminal phase, something existing systems struggle to achieve due to atmospheric drag.
Low Radar Cross-Section And Maneuverability: Advanced stealth features and high agility make the BrahMos-2K even harder to detect and shoot down, with a very low radar signature and robust terminal manoeuvring capability.
Operational Flexibility: Designed for use from ships, submarines, aircraft, and land-based platforms, it further enhances India’s deterrence capability.
Strategic Context And Programs
India has found practical battlefield success with the original BrahMos, most notably seen during Operation Sindoor in 2025, where BrahMos missiles successfully struck high-value military targets in Pakistan and overcame Pakistani and Chinese air defence systems.
The BrahMos-2K is being developed to outpace and outclass evolving countermeasures from regional adversaries, particularly as China and Pakistan continue to try—and reportedly fail—to develop effective counters to the BrahMos family.
In May 2025, India showcased major advances in indigenous scramjet technology, setting a world record by ground-testing a scramjet combustor for over 1,000 seconds, which is planned for integration into BrahMos-2K. This step also underscores a strategic move toward reducing reliance on foreign (primarily Russian) tech.
Only China and Russia are confirmed to have deployed operational hypersonic missile systems at this time. The United States has experienced several setbacks in its hypersonic missile programs, while India, with the joint BrahMos-2K project, is approaching the threshold of successful hypersonic missile capability.
Caveats And Program Challenges:
Development of BrahMos-2K has faced delays due to initial Russian hesitancy in sharing advanced hypersonic technology, high projected costs (estimated at nearly double that of the current BrahMos), and export restrictions guided by the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). However, India’s accession to the MTCR in 2014 allowed for expanded collaboration, enabling the ongoing revival of the program, particularly as Russian President Putin’s visit to India approaches, which could formalize renewed agreements.
The BrahMos-2K stands to position India among the exclusive group of countries with operational hypersonic missile capabilities, offering an unmatched blend of speed, range, stealth, and precision, and enhancing strategic deterrence in a complex regional environment.
RT.Com Report
Agency
