India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are reportedly holding early-stage discussions regarding the potential sale of Indian defence systems, including the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile.
The development was first reported by Reuters, citing four Indian sources.
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The talks, which have gone unreported until now, also cover India’s Akashteer air defence system, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations.
A third Indian source with close knowledge of the matter told Reuters, “UAE has shown interest for a number of our weapon systems including BrahMos and Akashteer. The talks between India and UAE are at initial stages and are progressing fast.”
The BrahMos missile, developed by BrahMos Aerospace, a partnership between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroeyenia (NPOM), is designed for deployment against both ships and land targets.
Its stated flight range is up to 290km, with a maximum speed of Mach 3. The air-launched version of BrahMos remains in development as of 2013.
Akashteer, meanwhile, is an air defence system designed to fully automate the detection, tracking, and engagement of hostile aircraft, drones, and missiles. It is the result of collaboration between Bharat Electronics Ltd, a state-run Indian company, and the Indian Army.
Before proceeding with any sale of BrahMos missiles to the UAE, Indian officials would need to secure Russia’s approval, as the missile is the product of a joint development agreement.
However, Russia’s authorisation is not expected to present significant difficulties due to strong relations between Moscow and Abu Dhabi, one source if Reuters said.
The UAE currently operates multiple advanced defensive systems, including the US-manufactured MGM-168 ATACMS ballistic missile, which has a range of 300km. Its air defence is anchored by American THAAD and Patriot systems.
Earlier in the year, the UAE concluded a firm-fixed-price contract worth $183.68m for additional Patriot missile equipment from Raytheon and signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korea targeting defence cooperation valued above $35bn.
Interest from UAE in BrahMos appears following India’s recent agreement to supply the same missile to Vietnam.
