New Delhi, July 29 Even though Congress MP Shashi Tharoor was not chosen by his party to participate in the debate on Operation Sindoor, he has submitted a written representation to the Ministry of Defence regarding the BrahMos plant in his constituency, Thiruvananthapuram.
In the letter, he has highlighted serious concerns over the future of a key defence facility in his constituency -- BrahMos Aerospace Thiruvananthapuram Limited (BATL).
Tharoor has drawn the attention of the government to recent developments that have triggered uncertainty among employees of BATL, a critical manufacturing unit for the BrahMos missile programme.
“I wish to draw the attention of the Ministry of Defence to a matter of urgent public importance concerning the employees and future of BrahMos Aerospace Thiruvananthapuram Limited, a key defence production unit located in my parliamentary constituency,” Tharoor stated.
Established in 2008 as a wholly owned subsidiary of BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited (BAPL), BATL has been instrumental in producing high-precision components, engines, and other critical systems for the supersonic BrahMos missile.
Tharoor noted that the facility and its workforce have played a pivotal role in strengthening India’s strategic defence capabilities, including during the recent Operation Sindoor involving BrahMos missiles.
However, the Congress MP expressed concern over what he described as a sudden and opaque move to delink BATL from BAPL.
“It has now emerged -- through recent BAPL Board and AGM proceedings -- that BATL is to be delinked from BAPL. This decision, reportedly taken without prior consultation with the Kerala Government, key stakeholders, or the BrahMos Staff Association (INTUC) and Employees' Union (AITUC), has caused widespread anxiety among employees,” he said.
Tharoor warned that such a move, if carried out without adequate safeguards, could lead to uncertainty over job security and disrupt operations at a time when India is ramping up its indigenous defence production.
He urged the central government to take corrective measures and consider possible alternatives to safeguard the interests of both national defence and the workforce.
He has suggested retaining BATL under BAPL to ensure operational continuity and protect existing employment, apart from reconstituting BATL as a Direct Production Centre under DRDO, with the same employment benefits as DRDO lab personnel.
“Given BATL's strategic role in the defence manufacturing ecosystem and the serious concerns expressed by its employees and unions, I request the Hon'ble Minister of Defence and the Government to urgently intervene and resolve the matter in a manner that ensures both operational stability and social justice,” Tharoor said.
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