In a significant stride toward strengthening its global defence footprint, India has successfully finalised BrahMos cruise missile export contracts worth approximately ₹4,000 crore (US$480 million) within the past month.

The deals mark a major milestone for India’s defence export ambitions, reflecting the growing global confidence in the country’s indigenous missile capabilities.

While the identities of the buyer nations remain classified pending an official announcement, defence sources confirm that both contracts were concluded after prolonged negotiations and comprehensive technical evaluations.

These agreements are understood to involve the sale of BrahMos variants optimised for coastal and ground-based deployment, with deliveries expected to commence within the next two years.

The BrahMos missile — a joint Indo-Russian venture between DRDO and NPO Mashinostroyenia — remains one of the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missiles, capable of striking targets with exceptional speed, precision, and lethality. Its adaptability across naval, air, and land platforms continues to enhance its attractiveness among India’s strategic partners.

Given current diplomatic and defence cooperation patterns, defence analysts suggest that the two undisclosed BrahMos export buyers are most likely from Southeast Asia, the Middle East, or South America — regions where India has intensified strategic outreach and weapons procurement discussions over recent years.

In Southeast Asia, nations such as the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia have expressed interest in BrahMos for coastal defence and deterrence roles. The Philippines has already signed a delivery contract earlier, which sets a precedent and opens scope for follow-on orders or parallel deals in the region. Vietnam, long a key security partner under India’s Act East Policy, continues quiet negotiations for a shore-based variant of the system.

In the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have shown increased intent to diversify their defence imports with non-Western suppliers. The political alignment fostered through high-level bilateral visits and joint military exercises has further positioned India as a credible supplier of advanced strike systems such as BrahMos.

A smaller yet emerging possibility lies in South America, with nations like Argentina or Brazil exploring Indo-Russian systems as cost-effective alternatives to Western missile platforms.

Taken together, these deals indicate India’s drive to consolidate its role as a major defence exporter while reinforcing regional security partnerships independent of traditional Western military supply chains.

This dual-contract achievement comes as India’s defence exports surge toward a targeted ₹50,000 crore mark by 2028. The BrahMos Aerospace consortium, backed by sustained governmental support and expanding international interest, is now positioned as a leading force in global tactical missile markets.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)