India in talks to sell supersonic BrahMos missile to UAE, sources say

The Indian government is in talks with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to sell some of its flagship defence systems, including the supersonic cruise missile BrahMos, four Indian sources said, as the Gulf nation steps up arms procurement following the war in the Middle East.

The discussions, which have not been previously reported, include the potential sale of India’s air defence system Akashteer, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

“The UAE has shown interest for a number of our weapon systems, including BrahMos and Akashteer. The talks between India and the UAE are at initial stages and are progressing fast,” said a third source with direct knowledge of the matter.

Indian officials and the UAE foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

BrahMos, jointly developed by India and Russia, is among the world’s fastest cruise missiles and can be launched from land, sea and air platforms, while Akashteer is a fully automated air defence system developed by India’s state-run Bharat Electronics Ltd and the Indian Army.

The UAE is considering buying defence equipment from India and other sources after the Gulf nation was heavily attacked by Iran during the war and as it enhances its ability to respond to emerging threats. It also needs to protect the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial conduit for its energy exports.

Earlier this year, the UAE signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with South Korea to promote defence cooperation that would be worth more than $35 billion.

“A diversified supplier base gives the UAE more strategic autonomy, and closer ties with India have the added benefit of not antagonising the US as the countries remain allies,” said Pearl Pandya, South Asia senior analyst at Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, a conflict monitoring group.

According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the US was the biggest exporter of arms to the Middle East between 2021 and 2025, supplying 54 per cent of imports, followed by Italy at 12pc and France at 11pc.

Before clinching any BrahMos sale to the UAE, India would require Russia’s approval, as the 290-km range missile is jointly developed. One source said this is unlikely to pose a hurdle given Moscow’s close ties with Abu Dhabi.

Siemon Wezeman, a senior researcher with SIPRI’s arms transfers programme, said both the BrahMos missile and Akashteer system would potentially serve the UAE’s needs, even if international competition to sell Gulf states arms was increasing and the UAE had experience with other suppliers.

Tighter ties between India, UAE

The UAE already has the US MGM-168 ATACMS ballistic missile, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, which has a maximum range of 300 km. For air defence, it has the sophisticated US THAAD and Patriot systems.

Akashteer would help knit together information from other devices to combat an air threat, defence experts said.

While India had a track record of reports of arms export deals that did not always bear fruit, Wezeman said upcoming sales to the UAE and other Gulf states were possible.

Closer ties between India and the UAE in recent years have led to a flurry of deals on trade and energy and a pact to jointly develop military hardware.

“The growing ties must also be understood against the backdrop of wider regional geopolitical dynamics, in particular the competition between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi for regional leadership,” Pandya said.

“Expanded defence ties between India and the UAE essentially serve as a form of strategic signalling, allowing both countries to showcase the strength and depth of their partnerships,” she added. ...