Jakarta, March 10 (Reuters) – Indonesia has finalized an agreement to purchase BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles from India, marking a significant step in its defense modernization program.
The deal, valued between $200 million and $350 million, follows advanced negotiations reported in 2023. Indonesian Defense Ministry spokesperson Rico Ricardo Sirait confirmed the acquisition, describing it as “part of the modernization of military hardware and defense capabilities, especially in the maritime sector.”
BrahMos Aerospace Pvt. Ltd., a joint venture between India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, produces the missile system. Named after the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers, BrahMos has an operational range of at least 290 km, with work underway to extend this to 400 km using an indigenous variant.
Indonesia becomes the second foreign customer after the Philippines, which signed its own BrahMos deal in 2022. The missile can be launched from ships, submarines, land-based platforms, and aircraft, making it a versatile addition to Jakarta’s arsenal.
India has been steadily expanding its defense exports, with BrahMos at the forefront. In August 2025, New Delhi approved defense purchases worth $7.6 billion, including BrahMos missiles, armed drones, and upgrades to existing systems.
Looking ahead, the next phase of the BrahMos project could involve collaboration on a missile system inspired by Russia’s Zircon hypersonic missile, further strengthening India’s position in advanced weapons development.