After Operation Sindoor success, BrahMos missile finds buyers across the map: Vietnam, Brazil, UAE lead the list

Time of India

18-07-2025

The
BrahMos missile
, co-developed by India and Russia, is now at the centre of global
defence
conversations. Following its deployment in
Operation Sindoor
, interest in the supersonic cruise missile has surged, with more than 14 countries expressing intent to purchase the system.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, speaking at a public event in Lucknow, made it clear that India's defence capabilities have caught the world's attention. 'Just a few days ago, I inaugurated a BrahMos airspace integration and testing facility in Lucknow,' he said. 'The BrahMos facility will not only strengthen our self-reliance in the defence sector but also generate employment and attract more industries to
Uttar Pradesh
.'
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Operation Sindoor was India's military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives. Though India has not officially confirmed the missile's combat use, Pakistan acknowledged its deployment. Singh stated, 'Through Operation Sindoor, India gave a clear message to the entire country of its willingness to respond to terrorist attacks.'
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A closer look at who's interested
The list of interested buyers is long and varied, cutting across regions and continents, as reported by MoneyControl.
The Philippines was the first to sign a formal contract for BrahMos. In 2022, India agreed to supply three coastal defence batteries for around $375 million. Two of these have already been delivered, the second arriving in April 2025 by sea. A defence source told The New Indian Express, 'The second battery of the missile has been sent in a ship this time. The first battery was sent in April 2024 in an IAF aircraft, with support coming from civil aircraft agencies.'
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ET has not been able to independently verify this information.
Indonesia is currently negotiating a deal for a more advanced variant of the missile. The agreement, in discussion for nearly a decade, could be worth up to $450 million. Indonesia is also exploring deployment on its Su-30MKM fighters and Kedah-class warships.
Vietnam is reportedly preparing a $700 million package for BrahMos, aimed at both its Army and
Navy
. Other Southeast Asian nations such as Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, and Brunei are at various stages of negotiation.
The interest stretches further west. In Latin America, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Venezuela are eyeing naval and coastal defence variants. Several Middle Eastern countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, and Oman, are also in active discussions.
The missile itself: Speed, range, precision
First tested in 2001, BrahMos is one of the fastest cruise missiles in the world, reaching speeds of Mach 3. It carries warheads weighing between 200 and 300 kilograms and can strike targets as low as 10 metres above the ground, or up to 15 kilometres in the air.
The missile's range, once capped at 290 kilometres, has now been extended to 500 and even 800 kilometres in newer variants. It is designed to be launched from land, sea, air, and even submarines.
With around 83 percent of its components now manufactured in India, BrahMos is increasingly indigenised. Its 'fire and forget' capability, combined with stealth and high accuracy — with a circular error probability under one metre — makes it particularly hard to intercept.
The next-generation variant, weighing just 1,290 kilos compared to the previous 2,900, allows aircraft like the Sukhoi Su-30MKI to carry up to three missiles at once. According to Times Now, this lighter model will also offer a longer range of roughly 400 kilometres.
Lucknow joins the supply chain
In response to rising global demand, India has boosted its production capacity. A new
BrahMos Aerospace Integration
and Testing Facility has been inaugurated along the Lucknow-Kanpur highway. This site will handle final integration and trials of the missiles before they are shipped to buyers.
The Defence Minister praised Uttar Pradesh's transformation under Chief Minister
Yogi Adityanath
, noting improvements in infrastructure, investment, and public safety. 'Today, law and order prevail, investments are rising, industries are thriving, and infrastructure is witnessing historic changes. Expressways, airports, metros, and medical colleges are reshaping the development landscape,' Singh said as reported by TOI. He added, 'No criminal can now walk fearlessly on this land.'
He also expressed hope that the facility would turn Lucknow into a strategic manufacturing base. 'I reiterate my commitment to bringing more industries to the state, ensuring that both Lucknow and Uttar Pradesh continue on a path of rapid development,' Singh said.
Local manufacturing of Titanium: A strategic shift
Behind the scenes, another transformation is taking shape. PTC Industries, a private firm based in Lucknow, has begun manufacturing titanium and superalloy components crucial for defence and aerospace, as reported by India Today.
This makes India only the sixth country in the world capable of producing such materials, joining the ranks of the US, UK, France, Russia, and China. These alloys are critical for missile structures, aircraft frames, and submarine parts.
The company is also supplying alloys to international defence giants, including
Dassault Aviation
, which makes the Rafale jets.
Strategic materials complex set up in Lucknow
To support the scale of manufacturing needed, a specialised materials complex was launched in parallel with the BrahMos plant. It includes four core units: a primary metals facility for titanium and superalloy ingots, a large casting plant, a precision forging unit, and an advanced machining centre. These are tailored to produce parts like jet engine blades and missile components.
This facility is part of the larger
Uttar Pradesh Defence Industrial Corridor
, a project aimed at making India less dependent on foreign military suppliers. Over seven defence industries are already operational under the corridor plan.
The story of BrahMos is no longer just about missile performance. It's now also about manufacturing scale, diplomatic leverage, and economic opportunity.
As more countries line up to place orders, India finds itself at the edge of a new era in defence exports. Lucknow, with its factories and forging plants, is no longer just a political hub. It's now part of a very different map — one that shapes national security, global partnerships, and economic ambition all at once.