Operation Sindoor Impact: BrahMos Draws Buyers in Vietnam, Indonesia; Russia Nod Awaited

Two big defence deals, and this time, India is exporting a weapon system that flattened Pakistani military installations during Operation Sindoor, when India began with attacks on terror training camps: the BrahMos cruise missile. Deals with Vietnam and Indonesia are almost done. Only an NOC or No Objection Certificate from Russia, the co-developers of the weapon system, is awaited. It hasn't come, highly-placed officials said, certain that it will arrive as the Russians have "agreed in principle" and "it is a matter of time."The BrahMos ("Brah" from Brahmaputra and "Mos" from Moscow) is a supersonic cruise missile with a range of 300 km initially, and now, over 400 km. It reached the armed forces, beginning with the Navy, over two decades ago.

From Day 2 of the four-day battle with Pakistan, the Indian armed forces used the BrahMos with telling effect, particularly on airfield infrastructure. The deal with Vietnam is worth about $300 million, while the Indonesians are buying a battery, at $100 million. These are big deals, and there is demand for the BrahMos, with The Philippines buying some for $375 million in 2022, and New Delhi and Manila are looking at another tranche. India is also in discussions with other countries about the BrahMos as well.

While it is "Waiting for Moscow" vis-avis the Brahmos, the Akash, the indigenously designed surface-to-air missile system, also in action during Operation Sindoor, is also in demand. India and Armenia, which recently fought a war with Azerbaijan, are also in touch.India’s defence exports is the new frontier. In the past, India had reservations about exporting defence equipment, but that is changing and very quickly. As Indian defence firms, already buoyed by the aatmanirbharta or self-reliance policy, grow stronger, the possibility of a rapid growth in defence exports is likely. And there is sufficient encouragement from the government.

More S-400 missiles

Another weapon system that performed well during Operation Sindoor was the Russian S-400 air-defence system. Cost negotiations for about 300 S-400 missiles are in progress. Cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council, headed by Rakshya Mantri Rajnath Singh, the delivery will happen after the negotiations are completed.