India To Export BrahMos Missiles To Indonesia As Both Countries Eye A $450 Million Defence Deal
Soon, India could export the BrahMos Missile to Indonesia as both the countries have been engaged in discussions concerning the same. India is learnt to be on the verge of signing a major defence export agreement with Indonesia for the supply of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, a deal estimated at around $450 million.
Negotiations have reached their final stage, with procedural and pricing discussions completed, and only Russian approval pending before the formal signing. The BrahMos Aerospace joint venture, between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPOM, requires bilateral clearance for exports, ANI reported citing sources.
BrajMos is a two-stage missile with a solid propellant booster engine as its first stage which brings it to supersonic speed and then gets separated. The liquid ramjet or the second stage then takes the missile closer to 2.8 Mach speed in cruise phase. Further, BrahMos operates on ‘Fire and Forget’ principle, adopting varieties of flight paths on its way to the target. The missile’s destructive power is enhanced due to the large kinetic energy on impact.
India–Indonesia defence deal: What sparked the renewed push?
The proposed missile sale has been under discussion for several years, but momentum picked up after Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto’s visit to New Delhi in January 2025. During the trip, both sides held comprehensive talks on strengthening maritime and strategic cooperation, with senior Indonesian military leaders participating in the dialogue.
Adding to the momentum, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan recently visited Indonesia to deepen operational ties and enhance joint maritime preparedness. His visit marked another sign of the rapidly expanding strategic partnership between the two Indo-Pacific powers.
The two nations have institutionalised their military engagement through a Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) and a Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) signed in January 2025. These frameworks aim to promote co-production, technology exchange, logistics cooperation, and supply-chain integration, aligning with India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative and Indonesia’s defence modernisation plans.
Why is the BrahMos missile a strategic game-changer?
The BrahMos, one of the world’s fastest cruise missiles, has a range of over 300 km, and can travel at speeds of Mach 2.8 to Mach 3, capable of striking both land and naval targets with pinpoint precision. The missile reportedly saw operational use during the India–Pakistan conflict in May 2025, which boosted its global reputation for accuracy and reliability.
Following its export success with the Philippines in 2022, where a Rs 3,500 crore ($420 million) contract was signed and deliveries are ongoing, the Indonesia deal would further consolidate BrahMos as India’s flagship defence export.
How does this fit into India’s defence export strategy?
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently revealed that India has signed missile export contracts worth nearly Rs 4,000 crore ($450–455 million) with two “friendly nations,” one of which is believed to be Indonesia. The deal marks a significant step in India’s emergence as a credible global defence supplier, particularly in the Indo-Pacific.
Nations including Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have also shown interest in the BrahMos system, signalling a rising export trajectory for India’s indigenous defence industry.
For Indonesia, the acquisition would enhance maritime security and coastal defence, particularly in the South China Sea and the Malacca Strait, where tensions over sovereignty and freedom of navigation remain high. For India, the sale reinforces its role as a trusted security partner in Southeast Asia.
