India is no longer just a buyer of defense equipment, but is making its mark on the global stage as a major exporter. In the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, India’s Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh has given such information which will prove to be a game changer for the country’s defense sector. India has signed an agreement to sell the deadly ‘BrahMos supersonic cruise missile’ system to its close partner Vietnam. Along with this, the talks to provide this system to Indonesia have also reached its final stage.
India’s influence is increasing in South-East Asia
India’s trade and strategic relations with South-East Asian countries (ASEAN) are continuously deepening. The Defense Secretary clarified that India is completely comfortable sharing its most modern defense technology with these friendly nations. India considers Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam included in the ASEAN group as its important partners. The first foreign customer of this missile was the Philippines, which had signed a defense deal worth $375 million in the year 2022. Now the agreement with Vietnam has been sealed and Indonesia has also given its consent for it in March 2026.
This mega defense agreement could be worth Rs 60 billion
The exact financial details of this latest defense deal are yet to be officially announced. However, quoting media reports, it has come to light that the entire deal between India and Vietnam could be worth around Rs 60 billion (about 629 million dollars). In this huge financial package, not only the missile system will be provided, but it is also expected to include complete logistics support from training to operate it properly. Such large exports in the defense sector directly promote domestic manufacturing, which benefits the country in the long run in the form of employment and economic growth.
Why is the world crazy about this missile?
BrahMos is not just a weapon, but a great example of defense engineering. Made by a joint effort of India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia, the name of this missile is inspired by the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers. Its biggest feature is its incredible speed. It flies at about three times the speed of sound (Mach 2.8 to Mach 3). Due to this unmatched speed, it is considered almost impossible for any existing air defense system in the world to stop it in the air. This missile, with a range of 290 to 800 kilometers, can be launched from anywhere on land, air or sea. It can fly a few meters above the sea surface and even at a height of 15 kilometers if needed, dodging the radar.
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