New Delhi | Indonesia’s Defence Minister Syafrie Syamsuddin is set to arrive in New Delhi in the last week of November for a high-level meeting with India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The visit is expected to significantly advance the proposed BrahMos missile partnership, marking a major step forward in India’s expanding defence export programme.
According to senior defence officials, the upcoming talks hold strategic importance as both nations have been engaged in sustained military-level dialogue over recent months. Indonesia has already expressed strong interest in acquiring the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system, prompting fast-tracked diplomatic and technical discussions.
Rajnath Singh Confirms Indonesia’s Formal Request
Earlier, during a programme in Lucknow, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh confirmed that Indonesia has officially submitted a request to procure the BrahMos missile. The missiles are currently being produced at the newly established BrahMos Aerospace facility in Lucknow.
On 18 October, Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath flagged off the first batch manufactured at the unit. Officials believe the potential deal with Indonesia will mark a milestone in India’s defence export capability and further establish India as a reliable supplier of advanced, combat-proven weapon systems.
Strengthening Bilateral Defence Cooperation
The momentum for the partnership grew stronger after India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, met Minister Syamsuddin in Jakarta on 28 October to discuss enhanced military cooperation.
Defence experts note that India’s operational success during Operation Sindoor, where BrahMos missiles reportedly delivered precision strikes on a Pakistani airbase, has significantly boosted global confidence in India’s strategic capabilities.
Indonesia’s interest in BrahMos also strengthened after President Prabowo Subianto’s state visit to India in January, where he held crucial discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on defence production and supply chain collaboration. President Subianto was also the Chief Guest at the Republic Day Parade this year.
India’s Growing Defence Export Footprint
Meanwhile, India is preparing to deliver the third and final batch of BrahMos missiles to the Philippines as part of the $375 million deal signed in 2022. Negotiations for similar sales are also underway with Vietnam, Malaysia, and several other countries.
Rajnath Singh has reiterated that BrahMos has evolved from a successful test platform into India’s “strongest proof of national security capability,” with its ability to strike targets beyond 290 km at speeds of Mach 2.8. The missile system is jointly developed by India’s DRDO and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia.
Indonesia’s upcoming visit is thus seen as a critical juncture that may unlock one of India’s most significant defence export deals to date, setting the stage for deeper strategic collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region.
