Indonesia has reached an agreement with India to acquire the BrahMos missile system, a spokesperson for Indonesia’s defence ministry confirmed on Monday.Defence ministry spokesperson Rico Ricardo Sirait told news agency Reuters that the deal forms part of Jakarta’s ongoing efforts to upgrade its military capabilities.In 2023, BrahMos Aerospace, a company jointly owned by the governments of India and Russia, told Reuters it was in advanced discussions with Jakarta on a potential agreement estimated to be worth between $200 million and $350 million.Rico said the agreement was “part of the modernisation of military hardware and defence capabilities, especially in the maritime sector.”However, he declined to confirm the overall value of the deal.BrahMos Aerospace secured its first international contract in 2022 with the Philippines, a Southeast Asian neighbour of Indonesia.
BrahMos
Neither BrahMos Aerospace nor Ministry of Defence immediately responded to requests for comment.The BrahMos missile is a supersonic cruise missile jointly developed by India and Russia and produced by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia. Named after the Brahmaputra River in India and the Moskva River in Russia, the missile is among the fastest operational cruise missiles in the world, capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 2.8 to 3. It can be launched from multiple platforms including land, warships, submarines and aircraft such as the Sukhoi Su-30MKI operated by the Indian Air Force. Initially developed with a range of around 290 km, newer versions have extended ranges of over 400 km. Known for its high precision and ability to fly at low altitudes to evade radar, the BrahMos missile is a key component of the strike capabilities of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, and has also been exported to countries such as the Philippines as India expands its defence exports.
