India's BrahMos test: How to keep military tech safe from enemy eyes – India Today

India’s BrahMos test: How to keep military tech safe from enemy eyes  India Today

Rajnath Singh’s ‘Pakistan’ caution to the US coincides with the BrahMos exports to Indonesia, which has close ties with New Delhi’s rivals During talks with his US counterpart, secretary of war Pete Hegseth, on the sidelines of an ASEAN summit in Cebu in the Philippines on October 28, defence minister Rajnath Singh cautioned Washington that supplying sensitive military technology to Pakistan carried the risk of those assets falling into the hands of a “third country”. Singh also appeared to hint towards China and Iran while flagging concerns over Washington’s support for Pakistan’s F-16 fighter fleet, following a recent $686 million upgrade package that includes advanced avionics, cryptographic systems and cryptographic modules.

The risk of sensitive military technology reaching an unintended recipient has long been a concern for countries that export advanced weapons systems. Around the world, there are numerous examples of sophisticated military equipment and classified technical information falling into the hands of third parties. Such exposure can compromise operational advantages, reveal sensitive capabilities and undermine the security of advanced weapons platforms. The threat does not come from espionage or cyberattacks alone. Battlefield losses, the capture of military equipment, unauthorised transfers and weaknesses in supply-chain security can be equally damaging. India, too, is increasingly exposed to these risks as it expands its defence exports and positions its indigenous military platforms