Key facts
- UAE interested in BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and Akashteer air defence system
- BrahMos is an India-Russia joint venture; Akashteer is an indigenous air defence system
- Development highlights India's growing defence export ambitions
UAE interest in India's BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and the Akashteer automated air defence control system is placing Indian defence technology firmly in the global export conversation, according to a report by The Economic Times.
BrahMos, a joint venture between India and Russia, is already one of the most capable supersonic cruise missiles in the world, while Akashteer is a newer, indigenously developed automated air defence control and reporting system designed to manage India's airspace in real time. The UAE's reported interest in both platforms marks a potentially significant commercial and strategic milestone.
For India, this interest arrives at a moment when the government is aggressively pushing its defence exports agenda under the Make-in-India initiative. New Delhi has set ambitious targets for defence exports, and landing a high-profile buyer like the UAE — a militarily sophisticated Gulf state — would lend credibility to India's positioning as a credible arms supplier.
The broader context is the deepening India-UAE strategic partnership, which has seen bilateral ties expand rapidly across trade, technology, and security domains. Defence cooperation is now emerging as a key pillar of that relationship, with Indian platforms increasingly competitive on the global stage.