India has taken the next step towards expanding its defense exports by concluding a deal to supply BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and Astra beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles to Indonesia. The agreement marks India's third major missile export agreement in the Indo-Pacific region and only emphasizes the growing role of New Delhi as a reliable defence supplier and strategic partner in the face of changing regional security conditions.
The deal is also indicative of India’s overall goal of bolstering defence cooperation with friendly countries while building up indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities through Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat. And it also shows international confidence in India’s advanced defence technologies and missile systems.
BrahMos missile, developed jointly by India and Russia, is believed to be the fastest supersonic cruise missile ever. It is capable of hitting land and sea targets with high speed, accuracy, and flexibility. BrahMos is also an anti-ship and anti-terrorism specialist.
Indonesia will likely improve its maritime defence capabilities with BrahMos missiles as it seeks to modernise its surveillance and deterrence capabilities in the large archipelago of its seas. Indonesia, like several other Southeast Asian countries, has a lot of interest in maintaining regional peace and in the security of its maritime territorial waters in the face of the continuing South China Sea conflict.
Along with BrahMos, India will also supply a BVR-based air-to-air missile in the form of the Astra missile (the Astra Missile) by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), on top of BrahMos development and indigenous defense (Astra missile), which is an indigenously developed beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile that India will manufacture. Astra greatly enhances fighter aircraft combat capability by allowing them to attack air targets from long distances with great accuracy, and has proven to be a useful weapon that could be fired by fighter jets. The missile is an integral part of India’s current air combat air-to-air weapons and is an example of the country’s continued advancements in advanced missile technology in modern air-to-air weapons development.
The agreement is a sign of a growing competitive role for India in the international defence export market. New Delhi is increasingly focusing on defence cooperation with nations in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. To this end, exports of domestic military platforms (arms, missiles, radar systems, naval equipment, and aerospace technologies) have been high.
Indonesia’s missile procurement is a part of its military modernization effort to improve national defence preparedness. As one of Southeast Asia’s largest maritime nations, Indonesia will have to protect its coastline, sea lanes, and strategic maritime interests. Advanced missile systems can increase deterrence and operational readiness without a significant expansion of naval assets.
BrahMos is emerging as an attractive option for nations with limited naval capabilities and for the growing interest in BrahMos in the Indo-Pacific region. Long-range precision strikes are seen as a good way to enhance coastal defence and to protect strategic maritime areas, as many nations have little to no naval capabilities.
Other than the military aspect, the agreement will strengthen India-Indonesia strategic relations. Both countries have common interests in a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based Indo-Pacific and cooperation in defence, maritime security, trade, and regional connectivity.
The missile deal is expected to boost India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem with production, technology development, and exports, and will help to further develop the country’s industrial capabilities. It is also consistent with New Delhi’s strategic intent to become one of the world’s leading defence exporters and contribute to regional security through reliable strategic partners.
As India's indigenous defence capabilities mature, agreements like the BrahMos and Astra missile exports to Indonesia only strengthen the country's growing reputation as a reliable supplier of advanced military technology and a key security partner in the Indo-Pacific region.
