Business & Finance

India’s BrahMos Missile Expands Reach in Southeast Asia with New Export Deals

By Aryan Singh

India’s BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is extending its presence in Southeast Asia. The Philippines has already received the missile system, Vietnam has signed an agreement, and several other countries are in advanced‑stage talks with New Delhi. PTI reported that BrahMos Aerospace CEO and Managing Director Jaiteerth R Joshi said on Friday that negotiations with other interested countries are progressing and that new export deals could be finalized once the government grants approval. "Once the government clears it, we will have a deal with them," he told reporters in Hyderabad, when asked about countries that had finalized agreements and those with which negotiations were underway. The growing international interest follows increased attention on the missile after Operation Sindoor. Joshi noted that the operation had not been anticipated when the missiles were originally manufactured, with some dating back 10, 15 or even 20 years. He credited non‑destructive testing (NDT) for ensuring their operational reliability. "NDT plays a vital role for any product. Operation Sindoor was never anticipated. The missiles were made 10, 15, 20 years back. NDT has ensured their reliability. The moment we took the item and fired, it went and delivered," he said. Non‑destructive testing inspects materials, components and equipment without damaging them, identifying defects, structural weaknesses and deterioration while ensuring critical systems remain fit for operational use. In defence and aerospace, NDT is important because military equipment can remain in storage for years before deployment. BrahMos is a two‑stage supersonic cruise missile jointly developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia. It uses a solid‑propellant booster to accelerate to supersonic speed, followed by a liquid‑fuel ramjet engine that sustains cruise flight at approximately Mach 2.8 (3,400 km/h).