A segment from a podcast interview with Dr. A. Sivathanu Pillai—founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Managing Director of BrahMos Aerospace—has gained significant attention online due to his quick-tongued interaction with a retired Pakistani general curious about acquiring the BrahMos missile technology. The former executive humorously responded, "It comes as a complimentary package for Pakistan," which quickly went viral across digital platforms, drawing both amusement and admiration. This remark resurfaced amid recent news regarding India's use of BrahMos missiles during Operation Sindoor—a response targeting terrorist hideouts inside Pakistan.
The event occurred at a defense exhibition held in the UAE, when a Pakistani military group—including a Major General along with Army, Air Force, and Navy officials—approached Dr. Pillai's squad, clearly showing interest in the features of the BrahMos missile.
Dr. Pillai shared how he was asked to address the group. He explained the missile's features—describing it as a supersonic cruise missile capable of reaching speeds up to Mach 3 with extreme precision—and also presented video clips from testing phases.
The Pakistani general subsequently enquired if India would consider selling the BrahMos missile system to countries in the Middle East. Upon receiving confirmation from Dr. Pillai about this being possible, he posed a direct follow-up query: "Is Pakistan also allowed to purchase it?"
Dr. Pillai replied, "For Pakistan, this service comes at no extra cost."
He recounted the instant when the General's demeanor shifted—first surprised, then visibly upset, before calmly turning and leaving.
The comment soon went viral, as netizens praised Dr. Pillai for his composed but sharp reply. Reactions varied from calling it an "epic takedown" to nicknaming him "King of Roasts." A commenter humorously remarked, "It’s free – just share your shipping details."
The renewed circulation of the video aligns with recent updates from ANI indicating that approximately 15 BrahMos missiles were deployed by the Indian Air Force in precise airstrikes against Pakistani military airfields as part of Operation Sindoor on May 7. According to these accounts, key installations across several Pakistan Air Force sites sustained damage due to those accurate assaults.
The clip gained significant traction on the social networking site X (previously known as Twitter), being frequently reposted by Megh Updates.