Today is Field Marshal Cariappa’s 32nd Death Anniversary. The anecdote below mentioned has been widely shared in Social Media. No doubt this incident would have made Cariappa Ajja smile with pride!
A few years ago, amid the high-stakes diplomacy of the Paris Air Show, an unforgettable moment occurred at the BrahMos missile display area that mixed wit, patriotism and just the right amount of humor.
A delegation from the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), ever curious, walked into the BrahMos exhibition stall. With a straight face and a serious questioning tone, one of their members turned to the Indian DRDO representatives and asked, “So, what is the per unit price of this missile?”
Before the DRDO officials could reach for a calculator – or hand out a diplomatic answer – a young Indian scientist strode confidently forward. Without missing a beat, and certainly without blinking, he replied: “Pakistan will get BrahMos for free!”
What followed was stunned silence, followed by nervous laughter and a few suppressed smiles, of course, the punchline delivered its own message. The underlying message?
You will not be buying it you will just be on the receiving side, completely free, doorstep deal.
A few years have passed by and we have fulfilled our promise.
