India in talks to sell BrahMos missiles to UAE
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- India is in talks with the UAE to sell the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and Akashteer air defence system, four Indian sources told Reuters, describing the discussions as at "initial stages" but "progressing fast."
- UAE interest is driven by heavy Iranian attacks during a recent Middle East war and the need to protect the Strait of Hormuz, a critical conduit for its energy exports, while diversifying its supplier base.
- BrahMos is jointly developed by India and Russia, so any UAE sale would require Moscow's approval — but one source said this is unlikely to be a hurdle given Russia's close ties with Abu Dhabi.
- India views the deepening partnership as a strategic counter to the recent Saudi Arabia–Pakistan defence pact, according to two Indian government sources, with analyst Pearl Pandya framing it as "strategic signalling" in the Riyadh–Abu Dhabi regional leadership competition.
- Since last year's four-day war with Pakistan — BrahMos's first combat use — India has signed BrahMos export deals with Vietnam and Indonesia and received interest from Thailand, South Africa, Brazil, and Chile.
- India's defence exports surged to over $4 billion in the year ending March 2026, up from just $7.26 million in 2013-14, even as India remains the world's second-largest arms importer at over 8% of global imports per SIPRI.
Why it matters: A UAE BrahMos deal would mark India's first missile sale to a Gulf state, challenging the U.S. dominance that supplied 54% of Middle East arms imports between 2021–2025. For the UAE, buying from India offers strategic autonomy without antagonising Washington; for India, it converts its multi-alignment posture into hard defence-market share.
