India and Indonesia are expected to discuss the possible sale of additional BrahMos supersonic cruise missile systems during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-day visit to Indonesia beginning July 6, with Jakarta reportedly keen to expand its planned acquisition beyond the initial battery agreed earlier this year.
Sources said Indonesia has conveyed its interest in procuring more than the single BrahMos missile battery envisaged under a preliminary procurement framework finalised in March. A BrahMos battery comprises launchers, radars and missiles.
The proposed expansion is expected to figure prominently during discussions aimed at strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries.
India and Indonesia first discussed the potential sale during the Defence Cooperation Dialogue held in New Delhi in November last year, when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh hosted his Indonesian counterpart, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.
Following the preliminary agreement in March, Indonesian Defence Ministry spokesperson Rico Ricardo Sirait said the acquisition formed part of the country's military modernisation programme, particularly to enhance its maritime defence capabilities.
Also read: Russia keen on inducting BrahMos, talks underway: Aerospace chief
According to sources, both sides are working on a phased procurement plan involving the BrahMos missile, which has a range of 290 km under Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) export restrictions.
New Delhi has also proposed establishing a Joint Defence Industry Cooperation Committee to promote collaboration in technology transfer, joint research and development, while Indonesia is exploring financing options through one of its banks for the purchase.
India has already exported the BrahMos missile system to the Philippines, which signed a $375-million contract in 2022, with deliveries beginning in 2024. Vietnam is also reportedly pursuing a deal valued at around $620 million for mobile coastal defence missile batteries, along with training, logistics and maintenance support.
The BrahMos export push reflects India's growing defence engagement with ASEAN nations and its strategy of strengthening maritime security partnerships in the Indo-Pacific.
Developed through a joint venture between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya in 1998, the BrahMos remains the world's only operational supersonic cruise missile, capable of travelling at nearly three times the speed of sound.
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