India Secures ₹4,000 Crore BrahMos Missile Export Deals with Two Countries

India has achieved another milestone in its growing defence export journey, with BrahMos Aerospace reportedly signing contracts worth around ₹4,000 crore (US $455 million) for the export of its BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to two foreign countries. The announcement was made by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during the flag-off ceremony of the first batch of BrahMos missiles from the company’s new manufacturing facility in Lucknow.

While the names of the two countries have not been officially disclosed due to confidentiality clauses, the deals mark a significant expansion of India’s global defence footprint. The BrahMos system, jointly developed by India and Russia, has already established its reputation as one of the world’s fastest cruise missiles, capable of striking targets at speeds exceeding Mach 2.8 with pinpoint precision.

Expanding India’s Defence Exports

The ₹4,000 crore contracts come amid India’s rising status as a reliable arms exporter under its “Make in India, Make for the World” initiative. According to Rajnath Singh, these new deals underscore the country’s capability to deliver advanced, combat-proven weapon systems to friendly nations.

India’s first export success for BrahMos came in 2022, when the Philippines signed a US $375 million (₹2,789 crore) contract for three batteries of the shore-based anti-ship version of the missile. The deal with Manila not only elevated India’s credibility in the international arms market but also opened doors for similar negotiations with other Southeast Asian nations.

Who Could the Two New Buyers Be?

Although official confirmation is awaited, Vietnam and Indonesia are widely seen as the most likely buyers of these new BrahMos missile systems. Both countries have shown consistent interest in acquiring BrahMos missiles for coastal defence amid growing tensions in the South China Sea.

• Vietnam has long been in discussions with India for the missile, with reports in late 2024 suggesting a deal worth around US $700 million was close to finalisation.

• Indonesia, too, was reported to be in advanced talks for a possible US $450 million acquisition of the shore-based variant for its naval forces.

The combined estimated value of these potential deals aligns closely with the ₹4,000 crore figure recently revealed by the Indian government.

Possible Number of Missiles

If we take the earlier Philippine contract as a reference—three batteries for US $375 million—each battery costs roughly US $125 million (₹930 crore). Based on this rate, the latest ₹4,000 crore contracts could involve around four batteries of BrahMos systems in total, which translates to 20–40 missiles, depending on configuration and support systems included.

Each battery typically includes multiple mobile launchers, command and control vehicles, radar units, and a stock of ready-to-fire missiles. The export variant is limited to a range of 290 km in accordance with Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) regulations.

Strategic and Industrial Significance

The contracts represent a huge boost to India’s defence manufacturing ecosystem and reinforce the capabilities of the Lucknow BrahMos unit, which has been designed to produce up to 100 missile systems annually. The deals will also help strengthen India’s strategic partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, especially with nations looking to counter regional maritime threats.

For the purchasing countries, BrahMos offers a proven deterrent and rapid-response weapon system with high survivability and precision. For India, it showcases the country’s transformation from being an arms importer to a global exporter of advanced missile systems.

Though the identities of the two buyer nations have not yet been officially disclosed, all indicators point to Southeast Asia as the destination for these new BrahMos systems. With a total export value of ₹4,000 crore and an expanding customer base, the BrahMos missile continues to reinforce India’s image as a major player in the international defence market.

These latest deals not only boost India’s export figures but also reflect growing confidence among foreign militaries in the reliability and performance o