On December 2, 2025, the Supreme Court allowed Kerala to hand over land from its open prison complex to BrahMos Aerospace Trivandrum Limited (BATL). The land, 180 acres out of 257 acres from the Nettukaltheri open prison campus, will be used to expand BATL’s missile manufacturing. BATL operates under the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO). The State said this move will support national security and defense growth. The court’s Bench, including Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, accepted a positive report from senior advocate K. Parameshwar, the amicus curiae. Alongside BATL, the State will allot 45 acres to Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) for a battalion headquarters and 32 acres to a National Forensic Science University to build cyber defense and forensic innovation centers. The Nettukaltheri open prison was started in 1964 on leased land that expired in May 2014. Originally 487 acres, parts were already given to other institutions like the Kerala Institute of Co-operative Management (12 acres) and the Dairy Development Department (16 acres). There is also a plan to give one acre for a Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant. Kerala said the open prison used less than 100 acres for core activities. The rest was for generating income through plantations. The SSB headquarters is expected to fulfill a long-standing request from the Ministry of Home Affairs and boost local employment and security. The forensic university aims to provide high-level training and excellent job opportunities for students and law enforcement officials.