India, Indonesia agree BrahMos, air-to-air missile deals

Indonesia will become the second Southeast Asian operator of the BrahMos cruise missile. The Philippines ordered the weapon in 2022. (Janes/Patrick Allen)

India and Indonesia have formalised agreements covering the transfer of BrahMos cruise missiles and an unspecified air-to-air missile.

The agreements mark the most significant defence trade arrangement yet between the two countries and a further expansion of India's missile exports in Southeast Asia. The deals were announced during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's state visit to Jakarta on 7 July.

According to a statement issued on Modi's official website, the two countries agreed to strengthen co-operation in areas including joint research and co-production of defence technologies, port calls, and hydrographic activities.

While neither government has disclosed details of the air-to-air weapon, it is likely to be the Astra beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM).

Developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Astra is designed to engage aircraft at stand-off distances. The baseline version of the weapon has a range of about 110 km.

If acquired, the missile will likely be integrated onto Indonesia's fleet of Russian-origin Su-27SK and Su-30MK fighter aircraft, providing the Indonesian Air Force with an alternative source of advanced air-to-air armament for aircraft that have traditionally relied on Russian missile inventories.

The BrahMos agreement covers the land-based coastal-defence variant, which Indonesia has been pursuing for several years.

Documents previously obtained by Janes from a source close to an Indonesian House of Representatives defence committee indicated that the Ministry of Finance approved plans in September 2025 to finance the acquisition through a foreign commercial loan.