New Delhi, March 9 (IANS) Indonesia has entered into an agreement with India to buy the BrahMos missile system, its Defence Ministry spokesperson Rico Ricardo Sirait said on Monday.

Rico told the Reuters news agency that the agreement was “part of Indonesia’s modernisation of military hardware and defence capabilities, especially in the maritime sector”.

BrahMos, a company co-owned by the Indian and Russian governments, has been in discussions with Indonesia for the sale of the cruise missile. The agreement follows prolonged negotiations that gained momentum during high-level visits, including discussions at the India-Indonesia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue in 2025.

Jakarta has become the second foreign buyer of the supersonic cruise missile after the Philippines. In January 2022, Manila signed a $375 million contract for three shore-based anti-ship BrahMos batteries, with the first batch of deliveries taking place in 2024. The Philippines military top brass has described the system as a game-changer and expressed interest in additional procurements. The Philippines deal also paved the way for broader interest in the missile in the region.

BrahMos produces supersonic cruise missiles that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms. It is a supersonic cruise missile jointly developed by India and Russia and is one of the Indian armed forces’ key weapons, used by the army, navy, and air force.

During the four-day conflict during Operation Sindoor, the missile was used with devastating effect in strikes on Pakistani air bases and other military infrastructure.

The Defence Ministry cleared a major order for additional BrahMos systems for the Indian Navy’s warships, along with ground- and air-launched variants for the Indian Air Force after its success in Operation Sindoor.

The Indian Navy plans to equip its Veer-class warships with the missile, while the Air Force is using it with its Su-30MKI fleet.

The missile is equipped with advanced guidance and control systems and has high-velocity flight stability and terminal accuracy.

–IANS

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