After years of back-and-forth talks and reports of an imminent deal, Indonesia appears poised to become the next foreign buyer of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, following the Philippines.
The spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Defence (MoD), Rico Ricardo Sirait, told Reuters on March 9 that the country has agreed to acquire the BrahMos missile system from India.
The agreement is “part of the modernisation of military hardware and defence capabilities, especially in the maritime sector,” he further stated. Sirait stopped short of specifying the number of missiles that Jakarta has decided to procure and the estimated cost. However, previous unconfirmed reports had pegged the cost of the potential deal at $450 million.
Notably, Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has significantly expedited Indonesia’s long-stalled military modernization since assuming office in October 2024, with key priorities including archipelagic defence and bolstering the air and naval combat units.
Indonesian MoD spokesperson’s statement has neither been confirmed by the Indian Defence Ministry nor by BrahMos Aerospace, the missile’s manufacturer. However, we know that the talks for a potential sale have been underway since at least 2023, as also reported by the EurAsian Times on multiple occasions over the past years.
For instance, in September 2024, a high-level Indonesian delegation led by Maj. Gen. Yunianto from the National Resilience Institute of Indonesia visited BrahMos Aerospace to discuss potential military cooperation.
Later that year, in December 2024, the potential sale of BrahMos was discussed during Indian Navy Chief Dinesh Kumar Tripathi’s visit to Indonesia.
However, things started to move dramatically last year, indicating that a sale was finally on the horizon. The deal for BrahMos was discussed between the two countries in November last year at the Defence Cooperation Dialogue, organised in New Delhi by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for his Indonesian counterpart, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.
Additionally, the Indonesian team was briefed on the missile by representatives of BrahMos Aerospace, and Defence Minister Sjamsoeddin received a model of the missile.
If an agreement has indeed been finalised, Indonesia will become the second country to buy what is counted amongst the most lethal weapons in India’s inventory.
In 2022, the Philippines signed a US$375 million deal with India for three batteries of the shore-based, anti-ship variant of the BrahMos missile for its naval forces. Additionally, previous reports suggested that Manila was considering purchasing additional batteries as part of the Horizon 3 military modernisation program for land-based coastal defence.
The Philippines’ purchase of BrahMos has been aimed at deterring China, which claims almost the entire sea as its sovereign territory (based on the nine-dash line) and remains embroiled in tensions with multiple Southeast Asian countries with competing claims.
In contrast, for Indonesia, it is merely an instrument for strengthening its military capability while diversifying its arms purchases to reduce reliance on any one player.
BrahMos is one of the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missiles, and it can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.
Although there is currently no confirmation of which variant of the BrahMos Indonesia is acquiring, it could opt for the coastal defence, ship-launched, or air-launched variant.
Unlike the Philippines, the Indonesian Air Force operates the Su-30 fighter jet, which is designated as the platform for the air-launched BrahMos variant within the Indian Air Force.
You can read a detailed EurAsian Times report on Jakarta’s interest in operating the Su-30+BrahMos combo here.
More Customers for BrahMos?
The BrahMos is a lethal, high-speed, precision, stand-off supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from the ground, sea, and air.
The BrahMos is a two-stage weapon—the missile launches with a solid-fuel booster, which detaches after take-off. A liquid-fuelled ramjet engine then propels it at speeds approaching Mach 3.
It works on a “fire and forget” principle, meaning once launched, no further guidance is required. And, its terrain-hugging trajectories, low radar signatures, and high kinetic energy make it very difficult to intercept
The Indian Navy inducted its first BrahMos system in 2005 aboard INS Rajput. The Indian Army followed in 2007 with its own regiments, and the Air Force later introduced an air-launched version from the Sukhoi-30MKI aircraft in 2019. In fact, India launched 15-19 BrahMos missiles during the four-day conflict with Pakistan.
The original range of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, developed under an Indo-Russian Joint Venture, was 290 kilometers. In 2023, the IAF successfully tested an extended-range BrahMos cruise missile with a range of 450 kilometres fitted on a Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet.
Additionally, tests are underway to develop an 800-kilometer-range variant of the BrahMos high-supersonic cruise universal missile.
Over the years, BrahMos has undergone multiple upgrades, including software and hardware improvements that have enhanced its range.
In January 2021, India outlined a list of “friendly nations” deemed potential buyers of the missile, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and South Africa. The list has since changed, with several countries dropping interest and others queuing up to assess the combat-tested missile system.
India has been in talks with several Southeast Asian countries about exporting the missile. In addition to the Philippines and Indonesia, Vietnam has also shown keen interest in the missile.
India reportedly started talks with Vietnam to sell off the supersonic cruise missile in 2023. An official with BrahMos Aerospace Ltd told the EurAsian Times at the time: “Vietnam had shown interest in the system. But the negotiations have just started.”
Between 2023 and 2024, reports suggested that Vietnam and India held preliminary discussions on a package potentially worth around $625 million, involving 3 to 5 batteries. However, subsequent reports have stated that the two sides are looking to finalise a $700 million deal for a mix of shore-based or coastal defence batteries, as part of Vietnam’s military modernisation through diversification initiative. This has essentially positioned Vietnam as the third possible buyer of the BrahMos cruise missile.
Further indication of the BrahMos’s widespread appeal in Southeast Asia is Malaysia’s sustained interest in the missile system, particularly the air-launched variant, which could be integrated with the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s Su-30MKM fighter jets.
By 2025, amid heightened regional tensions in the South China Sea, Malaysia appeared in lists of countries “queuing up” or actively negotiating for BrahMos. In fact, in August that year, reports suggested that Malaysia had begun preliminary negotiations with Russia and India for the missile, with an eye on revolutionising its Indo-Pacific airpower projection.
Additionally, Thailand was also previously known to have shown keen interest in the BrahMos, as reported by the EurAsian Times. However, it appears to have fizzled out in the past two years with no indication of ongoing discussions anywhere.
Besides Southeast Asia, the Middle East could be a potential market for the BrahMos missile.
Alexander Maksichev, Co-Director of BrahMos Aerospace, explicitly highlighted the UAE as a prospective buyer of the missile in November 2024, alongside Vietnam and Indonesia.
Additionally, the UAE has been repeatedly listed among “friendly nations” by India that are eligible for the export-variant BrahMos. The Emirati kingdom’s interest in the missile was confirmed again in early 2025, as noted in multiple reports across Indian media.
Other countries in the Middle Eastern region that have reportedly shown interest in the missile include Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and Egypt. Additionally, the missile has made an impression on the Latin American region, with countries such as Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Venezuela showing interest in it.
Indonesia’s purchase comes less than a year after the missile made its combat debut against Pakistan during the brief but intense May 2025 hostilities.
As per multiple sources, India reportedly launched 15-19 BrahMos missiles during the four-day conflict, and none of them could be intercepted. The weapon was reportedly used to strike key military bases, including the Nur Khan Base in Rawalpindi.
The missile was praised for its accuracy and described as a game-changer by Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Air Marshal A.P. Singh last year, potentially further enhancing its reputation.
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