Brazil, Egypt, Saudi Arabia Eye BrahMos Missiles—but India Needs Moscow’s Nod First

India's BrahMos supersonic missile is attracting fervent customers worldwide, with Brazil, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia already in talks to purchase the high-speed weapon system. But here's the significant catch: before sealing any deal, India must obtain Russia's official approval—not America's—because the missile was jointly developed by India and Russia and because Russia holds a 49.5% stake in BrahMos Aerospace.

 

Although India has already delivered BrahMos to the Philippines and is in talks with Vietnam and Indonesia, all the sales require Russian consent as the core of the missile technology as well as propulsion systems are Russian-origin. This goes on despite India attempting to indigenize more components and extend the range for its own armed forces.

 

Export versions of BrahMos are restricted to a range of 290 kilometers to comply with the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), but the speed and versatility of the system are highly attractive to nations keen on advanced coastal and naval defense. As India's defense exports are hotting up, the BrahMos remains a powerful symbol of Indo-Russian strategic alliance—and a reminder that Moscow's approval is the final needed before its export overseas.

 

Source: India Today, ORF, Asia Times, Debuglies