Key facts
- India in talks to sell BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to UAE
- BrahMos travels at up to Mach 3, jointly developed with Russia
- Follows India's first BrahMos export deal with Philippines in 2022
- Part of India's push to reach Rs 50,000 crore in annual defence exports
India is in active negotiations to sell the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to the United Arab Emirates, according to a report by News18, in what would be a landmark transaction for India's growing defence export industry. The BrahMos, a joint venture between India's DRDO and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya, travels at speeds of up to Mach 3 and is considered one of the most potent cruise missiles available on the international market.
If finalised, the UAE deal would follow India's path-breaking BrahMos export agreement with the Philippines, which was signed in 2022 and marked the first time India exported the system to a foreign nation. Selling to the UAE — a wealthy Gulf state with a sophisticated military — would be an even more prestigious validation of the BrahMos platform and of India's defence manufacturing credentials.
The talks are taking place against the backdrop of India's broader Defence Export Vision, which aims to achieve defence exports of Rs 50,000 crore annually by 2029. The BrahMos missile has been identified as the centrepiece of that export strategy, given its global reputation and competitive edge over comparable systems.
The UAE is a significant strategic partner for India, home to a large Indian diaspora and a key node in India's trade and energy relationships with the Gulf. A defence sale of this magnitude would add a new military-industrial dimension to that partnership, and is being watched closely by other potential BrahMos buyers including Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and several Southeast Asian nations.