MOSCOW: The first contract for the export of BrahMos missiles will be signed once the coronavirus pandemic ends, since such a deal requires an in-person government meeting, co-director of the joint Russian-Indian venture BrahMos Aerospace Alexander Maksichev told Sputnik.

"As for the possibility of concluding the first export contract for the BrahMos missiles, we have managed to agree on many things. Nevertheless, to finalize the agreement, a face-to-face meeting at the government level is necessary, which should take place as soon as the situation with the pandemic improves. We can say that the contract is at the final stage of approval and will be signed very soon," Maksichev said, without naming the buyer.

He added that once the export contract is signed, the governments of India and Russia will make a relevant announcement.

"The company is working on this and is fully prepared to meet the requests of foreign customers as they come in," Maksichev told Sputnik.

In June, BrahMos Aerospace told Sputnik that it plans to sign $1 billion worth of new contracts by the end of the year, which would take the company's yearly total up to $6 billion.

BrahMos Aerospace, established in 1998, specializes in producing cruise missiles and supporting equipment, such as launchers and missile guidance systems.