BrahMos, AK-203 Made in UP Giving Pakistan ‘Sleepless Nights’: Amit Shah in Greater Noida

Greater Noida: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday highlighted Uttar Pradesh’s expanding defence manufacturing sector, saying that BrahMos missiles manufactured in the state are giving Pakistan “sleepless nights”.

Shah made the remarks while inaugurating the fourth edition of the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show (UPITS) 2026 at the India Expo Centre and Mart in Greater Noida on September 25. The trade show is being held from September 25 to 29.

Amit Shah highlights BrahMos production in Uttar Pradesh

Addressing the gathering, Shah pointed to the BrahMos facility in Lucknow as an example of the expansion of defence manufacturing in Uttar Pradesh.

“Today, the BrahMos missiles manufactured in UP give Pakistan sleepless nights,” Shah said, describing the development as an indicator of the transformation taking place in the state.

The BrahMos Aerospace Integration and Testing Facility in Lucknow was inaugurated in May 2025. The facility is intended for the integration and testing of the supersonic cruise missile system and forms part of Uttar Pradesh’s defence manufacturing push.

AK-203 rifles made in Amethi also mentioned

Shah also referred to the AK-203 assault rifles manufactured at Korwa in Amethi, presenting them as another example of Uttar Pradesh’s growing role in defence production.

According to reports on his speech, Shah said the AK-203 rifles were giving “sleepless nights” to Naxalites and terrorists. The remarks were made in the context of his broader argument about the expansion of defence manufacturing in the state.

The AK-203 is being produced in Amethi through an India-Russia collaboration and is intended to replace the INSAS rifle in Indian military service.

Six nodes of UP Defence Industrial Corridor

Shah said investments were flowing into all six nodes of the Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor — Jhansi, Chitrakoot, Lucknow, Agra, Aligarh and Kanpur.

The state’s official Defence Industrial Corridor website lists major defence companies and organisations, including BrahMos Aerospace, HAL, BEL and BDL, among those planning investments in Uttar Pradesh. The corridor also includes plans for next-generation BrahMos projects at the Lucknow node.

UP's defence manufacturing push

The Home Minister linked the expansion of defence production with a broader transformation of Uttar Pradesh’s industrial and investment landscape.

Shah also spoke about the state’s One District, One Product (ODOP) initiative and claimed that local manufacturing and traditional products were generating employment opportunities within the state. He further credited improvements in the investment environment and law-and-order situation for attracting businesses. These are claims made by Shah at the trade show.

UP International Trade Show 2026

The fourth edition of the UP International Trade Show is being held at the India Expo Centre and Mart in Greater Noida from September 25 to 29.

The official event website says the 2026 edition includes sectors such as defence, automobiles, electronics, agriculture, medical and pharmaceutical industries, textiles and handicrafts. Russia, Austria, Belarus, Japan, Singapore and Vietnam are listed as partner countries for this edition.

The Federation of Indian Export Organisations said before the event that UPITS 2026 would bring together more than 1,000 Indian sellers, exporters, manufacturers and MSMEs with international buyers.

What Shah's remarks mean in the defence context

Shah’s comments underline the growing political and industrial emphasis on domestic defence manufacturing in Uttar Pradesh.

The BrahMos facility in Lucknow and the AK-203 production line in Amethi are part of a wider effort to expand defence manufacturing capacity within India. The Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor is designed to bring together large defence companies, private manufacturers, MSMEs and startups across its six nodes.

While Shah used strong language about the impact of these weapons on Pakistan and terrorists, those statements represent the Home Minister’s characterization rather than an independently measurable assessment of Pakistan’s response.

The remarks nevertheless put the spotlight on Uttar Pradesh’s expanding role in India’s defence production ecosystem at a major international trade and investment event.