 "India is in talks with a number countries including Vietnam and Malaysia for a possible sale of the BrahMos missiles. Reuters")
Operation Sindoor has put the BrahMos missile system in the spotlight.
The Indian military used the cruise missile to great effect during its strikes on Pakistan – the first time it has been used in combat.
While India has not officially confirmed its use, Pakistan did so.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also did so on Sunday while attending the inauguration of a new BrahMos missile facility in Lucknow alongside Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Let’s take a closer look at how countries are queuing up to buy the cruise missile.
The Philippines
India previously signed a deal for the Brahmos cruise missiles with the Philippines.
As per News18, the landmark deal – India’s first major defence export – was signed in January 2022 at an estimated $375 million.
Under the deal, India was to send the Philippines three coastal defence batteries. The first battery was delivered in April 2024, with the second expected in April 2025.
India in April 2025 sent the Philippines a second battery of the BrahMos cruise missiles.
“The second battery of the missile has been sent in a ship this time,” a defence source told The New Indian Express. “The first battery was sent in April 2024 in an IAF aircraft, with support coming from civil aircraft agencies. The long-haul flight carrying the heavy load was a non-stop six-hour journey before the equipment reached the western parts of the Philippines.”
Indonesia
Economic Times reported that India was also looking to sell Indonesia the Brahmos missile earlier this year.
The deal, estimated at around $450 million, has been in negotiations for the past decade.
People in the know told the newspaper the country is working on the financing for the missile.
As per News18, Indonesia wants an advanced version of the cruise missile.
Vietnam, Malaysia and others
Vietnam wants the BrahMos missiles for its army and navy.
The deal with India is estimated at $700 million.
Malaysia is eyeing BrahMos missiles for its Sukhoi Su-30MKM fighter jets and Kedah-class warships.
Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Venezuela, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Oman have also expressed varying levels of interest in the BrahMos missile.
What do experts say?
They say many of the countries in the region are eyeing purchasing the BrahMos missile with an eye on China’s growing military assertiveness in the South China Sea.
Ahmad Rizky Umar, an international relations and Indonesian politics expert with Aberystwyth University in Britain, told SCMP it was only “logical” for the Philippines to do so.
“I think Indonesian President Prabowo Subiantohas a similar interest because Indonesia, like the Philippines, shares maritime territories [with other nations], so it will also be very vulnerable to any threats, not only in the South China Sea but also in the Indian Ocean,” Umar said.
“Indonesia wants to anticipate any conflict in the future that can undermine its maritime territorial integrity.”
Anastasia Febiola, a research coordinator and manager of consultancy firm Semar Sentinel Indonesia, told the outlet any such deal would be a “a pretty important act” for Indonesia.
“It also balances Indonesia’s position towards Western countries.”
She said the BrahMos would be a “game changer” for any navy.
“With the uncertain geopolitical dynamics and tensions in the Indo-Pacific region, strengthening its armed forces deterrence capability has become more urgent for Indonesia,” Anastasia said.
About the missile
The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is the cornerstone of India’s missile arsenal.
The BrahMos missile is manufactured by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya.
It can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft and land.
The BrahMos missile has a range of nearly 300 kilometres.
It can carry a warhead weighing between 200 and 300 kilos.
It flies at a speed of 2.8 Mach – nearly three times the speed of sound.
Around 83 per cent of the missile’s components are now indigenous – that is sourced from India.
It works a “fire and forget” principle.
As per India Today, the missile comes with stealth technology as well as advanced guidance system.
It maintains supersonic velocity throughout its flight – thereby reducing the chances of being intercepted by defence systems.
It can cruise at an altitude of 15 kilometres and then drop down as low as 10 metres when it hits the target.
It is also known for its high accuracy – with a circular error probability of under 1 metre.
As per NDTV, the next-generation BrahMos variant weighs just 1,290 kilos compared to the 2,900 kilos previously.
This will allow fighter jets like the Sukhoi Su-30MKI to carry three BrahMos missiles rather than just one.
As per Times Now, the new version of the missile will have a range of around 400 kilometres.
Singh inaugurated a new BrahMos facility in Lucknow on Sunday.
Singh during the event praised the Indian armed forces for giving Pakistan a ‘befitting reply’ in the aftermath of the April 22 attack in Pahalgam which left 26 dead.
“Through Operation Sindoor, India gave a clear message to the entire country of its willingness to respond to terrorist attacks,” Singh said.
“You must have seen a glimpse of the BrahMos missile during Operation Sindoor. If you didn’t, then just ask the people of Pakistan about the power of the BrahMos missile,” Adityanath was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
With inputs from agencies