PATIALA:  Dr A.S. Pillai, CEO and Managing Director, BrahMos Aerospace, said here on Monday that as  many as 23 private manufactures in the country had been shortlisted for manufacturing defence equipment in India and  will export it to our friendly countries.

In an informal chat with media after getting degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) at Thapar University here on Monday.

He said that they have export orders of around $2 billion for BrahMos cruise missiles, which were the best in the world. He added that the missile, produced in an Indo-Russian joint venture, has network-centric warfare capabilities — using information from satellites, troops on the ground, submarines and ships to guide the weapon. 

"BrahMos, which has already been inducted into the Indian Navy and Army , will be inducted into the Air Force by 2012. It will be integrated with Sukhoi-30 aircrafts," Dr Pillai said.

He clarified that the cruise missile is not capable of carrying nuclear warhead, as finishing off the equipment of the enemy was the motive behind devising the missile, and not killing people.

While comparing BrahMos with Tomhawk, which was used in the Gulf war, he said, "Our missile is faster, can hit the target in 1/3rd time and has nine times more energy ." The pact for BrahMos was signed in February 1998, with India's share being 50.5 per cent and with an investment of $250 million.