India’s defence export diplomacy recently touched a milestone wherein India’s Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh confirmed the formal signing of the BrahMos deal with Vietnam at the Shangri-La Dialogue on 30 May 2026. He also iterated that the negotiations with Indonesia were in the final stage. This announcement added two more Southeast Asian nations into India’s BrahMos network under India’s Act East Policy, and highlights shared regional challenges in maritime security. This article examines the BrahMos deal with both the nations and the strategic significance it holds in the broader architecture of India’s defence diplomacy in Southeast Asia.
BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile: Basic Profile
The BrahMos Joint Venture was launched in 1998 after the Inter-governmental Agreement between India and Russia in Moscow. Terminologically, BrahMos represents the confluence of two rivers vis-a-vis “the fury of Brahmaputra and the grace of Moskva rivers,” wherein India holds a 50.5% stake. BrahMos Aerospace as a company was formed by military-technical cooperation between Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India and the Joint Stock Company “Military Industrial Corporation “NPO Mashinostroyenia” of Russia. The BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile operates on the principle of ‘Fire and Forget’ with speed up to 2.8 Mach and a flight range of up to 290 km. What makes it stand apart is its design that allows modifications for launch, that is, it can be launched from air-to-ground, ship-to-ground, submarine-to-ground and ground-to-ground.
India’s BrahMos Push in Southeast Asia
It was the $375 million contract for three shore-based BrahMos batteries between India and the Philippines in 2022 that defined a watershed moment in India’s defence export trajectory, marking India’s first international BrahMos sale. This deal highlighted India’s capability and willingness to transfer advanced military technology to Southeast Asian nations. With respect to the delivery, the first batch was delivered in April 2024 and the second batch was delivered in April 2025. The third and final batch is expected to be delivered in the coming months. In fact, the Philippines Marine Corps unveiled its first BrahMos supersonic anti-ship missile battery based in Western Luzon and is operated by the Marine’s Coastal Defense Regiment’s Shore-based Anti-ship Missile Battalion. The successful procurement and deployment of batteries assured Southeast Asian states about Indian export commitments. Therefore, BrahMos went from a prospective export product to a product with real-world integration in contemporary geopolitical scenarios.
It was this instance that resulted in accelerated interest from Vietnam and Indonesia. Vietnam has become the second ASEAN nation to acquire BrahMos. While the details of this deal are not in the public domain, it is estimated to be valued at $629 million in addition to training and logistical support. It comes after the recent visit of H. E. To Lam, the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, from 5th May 2026 to 7th May 2026. In the Joint Statement on Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, both nations agreed to establish Defence Dialogue (2+2). Additionally, they reaffirmed the significance of defence and security as an important pillar of India-Vietnam ties, commending the implementation of India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030. The defence cooperation between India and Vietnam is primarily guided by the MoU on Defence Cooperation of 2009 and the Joint Vision on Defence Cooperation of 2015. The India-Vietnam defence ties are robust as India gifted INS Kirpan (indigenously built missile corvette) to Vietnam in 2023, and both nations have military-to-military dialogue and capacity building programs for the armed forces. In the area of defence industrial collaboration, India offered 12 high-speed guard boats built by M/s Larsen & Toubro under a bilateral credit line of USD 100 million to Vietnam. Most importantly, two more LoC which are, valued at USD 120 million and USD 180 million, have been exchanged between the EXIM Bank of India and the Finance Ministry of Vietnam.
It is important to note that Vietnam has traditionally maintained a very low profile when it comes to its defence acquisitions and therefore, the recent announcement of the BrahMos deal is no different. Even in this instance, the announcement was not formally made by Hanoi, but rather confirmed by India’s Defence Secretary during the Shangri-La Dialogue 2026. Despite this silence, the India-Vietnam ties are pointing towards robust cooperation as they are backed by multiple lines of credit, joint exercises and high-level engagements.
Indonesia, on the other hand, confirmed the decision to procure the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system for its maritime forces as early as 9th March 2026. Indonesia’s defence ministry spokesperson Rico Ricardo Sirait termed the agreement as “part of the modernisation of military hardware and defence capabilities, especially in the maritime sector.” While the total value of the agreement is not confirmed, in 2023, BrahMos Aerospace expected the deal to be worth $200 million to $350 million, wherein it was looking to offer shore-based missiles. Therefore, Indonesia’s move towards BrahMos acquisition becomes strategically significant as it becomes the third Southeast Asian nation to do so. At the Shangri-La dialogue, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Defence Secretary, India, confirmed that the discussions with Indonesia were at an advanced stage and that a formal contract could be expected in the near future. With respect to bilateral defence ties, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh recently co-chaired the third India-Indonesia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue with Minister of Defense of Indonesia Mr Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin in New Delhi on November 27, 2025.
Conclusion
The BrahMos missile system has evolved from a Joint Venture between India and Russia to one of the most consequential instruments of India’s military diplomacy and strategic outreach when it comes to Southeast Asia. It has transitioned from a landmark deal with the Philippines in 2022 to Vietnam’s confirmed acquisition and advanced negotiations with Indonesia in 2026. The India of today is not merely an importer of defence equipment; rather, it is becoming a credible supplier as well. This underscores India’s rising trajectory in the global arms market and the positive implications of India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. It is also pertinent to note that these BrahMos exports do not operate in isolation but are embedded within frameworks of Lines of Credit, joint exercises and diplomatic exchanges. For Southeast Asian nations, BrahMos offers them credible deterrence capability and a very lucrative alternative to diversify its defence imports. In a nutshell, it can be affirmatively stated that India’s defence diplomacy is now moving from just intent to credible deliverables, with one missile battery at a time.
