NEW DELHI: India is now working to finalise a $450 million deal for the export of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to Indonesia, which would make it the second Asean country after the Philippines to buy the precision strike missile with a 290-km range. The proposed deal has been in the works for a long time, with Indonesian defence minister discussing the deal with his Indian counterpart Rajnath Singh during a visit to New Delhi in July 2020. “There are some budgetary constraints, but discussions have moved forward towards conclusion of the BrahMos deal now,” a source said.
India has stepped-up discussions on export of BrahMos to other Asean countries after inking a $375 million contract to supply anti-ship coastal missile batteries to Philippines in Jan 2022, with an eye on China’s aggressive behaviour in the Indo-Pacific. Apart from the Brahmos missiles, which have been developed jointly with Russia, India also plans to sell the indigenous Akash air defence missile systems, which can intercept hostile aircraft, helicopters, drones and subsonic cruise missiles at a range of 25-km, to countries like Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam.
