Key facts
- India in talks to sell BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to UAE
- BrahMos travels at Mach 2.8; co-developed by India and Russia
- Philippines was first BrahMos export customer in 2022
- India's defence export target is Rs 50,000 crore by 2029
India is in advanced talks to sell the supersonic BrahMos cruise missile system to the United Arab Emirates, with sources telling Reuters that negotiations are ongoing and a deal could mark one of the most significant defence export agreements in Indian history. The BrahMos, co-developed by India's DRDO and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya, is a Mach 2.8-capable precision strike weapon that has attracted sustained international interest since the Philippines signed a landmark purchase agreement in 2022.
A sale to the UAE would represent a qualitative leap in India's defence export portfolio, moving well beyond legacy platforms and ammunition into cutting-edge, jointly developed missile technology. The UAE operates a sophisticated military and is a significant buyer of Western arms, making India's ability to compete in that market a test of how seriously New Delhi's defence industry is being taken on the world stage. The deal also carries political symbolism, deepening the India-UAE Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that Prime Minister Modi and UAE leadership have cultivated over several years.
The BrahMos Aerospace joint venture — in which India holds a 50.5% stake — has been actively pursuing export customers, and the Philippines deal opened the door to wider Gulf interest. Saudi Arabia and other GCC nations are also reported to have shown interest, making the UAE talks part of a broader regional push. India's defence establishment has worked to navigate the complex triangular relationship with Russia — BrahMos's co-developer — amid Western sanctions on Moscow, ensuring that export licensing and technology-sharing arrangements remain viable.
If concluded, the UAE sale would be a landmark for India's Rs 50,000 crore defence export target by 2029 — a goal the government has pushed hard but which has required high-profile deals to give it credibility. The BrahMos missile, more than any other platform, is seen as India's calling card in the global arms market.