India is close to finalising a major defence export agreement with Indonesia for the supply of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, a deal estimated to be worth around $450 million, according to defence sources.
Sources said that most procedural and negotiation stages have been completed, with only final approval from the Russian side pending before the contract can be signed. The BrahMos missile system is a joint venture between India and Russia.
India and Indonesia have been in talks over the proposed sale for several years. The issue gained significant momentum earlier this year during the State visit of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to New Delhi in January, when both sides held extensive discussions on expanding defence cooperation. Senior Indonesian military officials also participated in the deliberations.
Adding to the momentum, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Anil Chauhan recently visited Indonesia to deepen strategic engagement between the two countries’ armed forces. His visit underscored the rapidly expanding defence partnership between India and Indonesia.
The two nations have already institutionalised their defence ties through a Joint Defence Cooperation Committee (JDCC) and ratified a new Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) in January 2025. The agreement lays the groundwork for greater collaboration in defence production, technology exchange, and supply-chain integration.
The prospective BrahMos deal with Indonesia follows India’s successful missile export to the Philippines, valued at approximately ₹3,500 crore (about $420 million), signed in 2022. India has already delivered the first two batches of missile systems to Manila.
The sale was viewed globally as a major step by the Philippines to strengthen its maritime security and deterrence capabilities.
India’s BrahMos system, which reportedly saw operational use during the India–Pakistan conflict in May this year, has drawn international attention for its precision and speed. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently revealed that India has signed missile export contracts worth nearly ₹4,000 crore ($450–455 million) with two unnamed friendly nations, believed to include Indonesia.
The BrahMos deal would mark another milestone in India’s push to become a leading defence exporter under the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) initiative. Other countries, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, have also expressed interest in acquiring the system.
