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The planned Indian deployment of the BrahMos missile on all of its naval warships has destabilizing implications for the region.
A BrahMos fired from INS Chennai during TROPEX 2017
In May 2025, the confrontation between India and Pakistan was limited to the land and air domains. In the naval domain the two sides took to signaling and positioning but did not engage in active combat. At the start of the conflict, India deployed its naval aircraft carrier INS Vikrant for four days in the Arabian Sea but later moved it back to its base in Karnataka. The Pakistan Navy undertook counter-deployments with an operational offensive-defensive posture. It dispersed its surface combatants, intensified maritime ISR, and moved its coastal missile units into a state of heightened readiness. However, there was no confrontation between the two navies during the crisis.
However, a few weeks after the announcement of the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh visited INS Vikrant and issued a stern warning for Pakistan. He said, “If Pakistan tries anything nefarious again, the opening move might come from our Navy.”
