India sees new enquiries for BrahMos from Gulf, Latin America and Asia: Report
New Delhi, June 30
Interest in the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile - a joint venture between India's DRDO and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya - has expanded beyond Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia to reported enquiries from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Thailand, Brazil and Chile.
India is stepping up arms exports across Asia and talks with the United Arab Emirates are under way for sales of BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and, if concluded, would mark the missile's first entry into the Gulf, according to multiple reports.
The BrahMos travels at around Mach 2.8, carries a 200‑300-kilogram warhead and has had its range progressively extended to roughly 450 kilometres in its most advanced variants.
The UAE is also in early talks with India to also acquire the Akashteera Air defence command-and-control system, developed by Bharat Electronics Limited alongside the Indian Army.
India is developing institutional infrastructure to be a long-term arms supplier with lifecycle support systems and end-use monitoring. Further, it is procuring diplomatic strength to manage consequences when its weapons are used in the field by importing nations.
Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh told the Shangri‑La Dialogue in Singapore last month that India has signed a BrahMos deal with Vietnam and that an agreement with Indonesia is in its final stages.
The Ministry of Defence said Indonesia has backed a proposal to set up a Joint Defence Industry Cooperation Committee covering technology transfer, joint research and development and supply‑chain integration.
Analysts noted a pattern among recent buyers, that all of them have active maritime disputes with China, or other regional security concerns. They felt that India is only responding to market demand that happens to come from countries with China-related security concerns, adding that the sales don't indicate any formal anti‑China move.
Defence ministry data showed that defence exports rose to a record Rs 38,424 crore in FY26, up around 62 per cent from the previous year.
Another recent report said that drones will remain among the fastest‑growing segments within India's defence ecosystem, with the tactical drone procurement opportunity rising from Rs 30‑35 billion in the previous procurement cycle to nearly Rs 120‑140 billion.
India's defence sector is entering a structural, multi-year growth cycle driven by indigenisation, increasing defence capital expenditure, rising exports and accelerated adoption of advanced technologies, it said.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I'm happy for the defence exports, but I hope we are also focusing on our own military modernisation. We shouldn't sell our best weapons and leave ourselves vulnerable. Balance is key.
Great to see diverse buyers from Saudi to Brazil. This shows that India is building trust as a reliable partner. The lifecycle support and end-use monitoring mentioned in the article are critical—this isn't just about selling missiles, it's about building long-term relationships. Kudos to DRDO!
Interesting move by India. The buyers all have territorial disputes with China, but the article clarifies it's not anti-China. India is smartly leveraging market demand. I wonder how China will react to this growing Indian defence footprint.
Bravo! From importing weapons to exporting them in such volumes—Rs 38,424 crore is no small feat. The drone segment growth is also promising. Our engineers and defence scientists deserve a standing ovation. 💪
One concern: the BrahMos range is now 450 km, which is fine for export. But what about our own military—are we getting the latest versions first? The article mentions tech transfer to Indonesia, which is good for partnerships, but we need to ensure our own edge isn't diluted.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.