The Indian Air Force (IAF) marked a historic milestone last week as its frontline Su-30MKI fighter jets carried out the first-ever flypast armed with the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile over northeastern India.
The rare display showcased India’s growing indigenous strike capability and underscored the IAF’s readiness to project power along sensitive border regions.
The flypast, held over a key airbase in the northeast, featured the Su-30MKI, India’s most advanced multirole fighter, integrated with the air-launched version of the BrahMos-A missile, a weapon capable of striking targets at ranges exceeding 400 kilometers, according to two Indian government officials.
The event drew attention for demonstrating not only operational readiness but also India’s successful indigenisation of cutting-edge weapon systems through joint ventures like BrahMos Aerospace, a collaboration between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya.
India had used the BrahMos weapon systems to target Pakistan’s air bases and military stations during the May 2025 Operation Sindoor in response to the Pahalgam terror strike on tourists in Jammu and Kashmir in April 2025.
Defence analysts view the display of a Sukhoi fighter jet armed with the BrahMos missiles as a signal of deterrence and confidence amid ongoing tensions along India’s northern and eastern borders.
The deployment of the BrahMos-equipped Su-30MKIs in the northeast significantly enhances India’s long-range precision strike capability across varied terrains, including the Eastern Himalayas.
The IAF has already inducted several squadrons of Su-30MKIs modified to carry the heavy BrahMos missile, giving the platform a potent edge in both conventional and deterrent operations.
The missile’s combination of Mach 2.8 speed, pinpoint accuracy, and deep-strike range positions it among the most formidable air-launched weapons in the world.
The recent flypast was not just a display of firepower, but a reaffirmation of India’s march towards self-reliance in aerospace and defence technology, aligning with the government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.