Information about the missile sale agreement is expected to be officially announced this week, when Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto visits India on January 25-26. India and Indonesia have been discussing for nearly 10 years the purchase of BrahMos anti-ship cruise missiles, a weapon jointly developed by India and Russia, The Economist Times reported on January 22.
Indian and Indonesian officials did not comment on the missile deal. The Indonesian Foreign Ministry said last week that during President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to India, the two countries will announce treaties on health, education, maritime safety and security.
India’s BrahMos cruise missile system
According to Bloomberg, citing well-informed sources, the challenge for Jakarta lies in the budget issue. Spending money on the missile deal is still being discussed by officials of the two countries and it is unclear when it will be completed.
The BrahMos missile system has emerged as an effective anti-ship weapon produced and exported by India. This missile is based on the Russian P-800 Oniks missile model, with significant improvements in features. The export version of BrahMos has a range of nearly 300 km and can reach speeds of Mach 2.8. This weapon is of interest to a number of Asian countries, aiming to add to the military’s defense capabilities.
An Indian destroyer test-fired the Brahmos hypersonic missile against the sea
The Indonesian President is likely to expand military and maritime security cooperation with India when he makes an official visit this week. Jakarta is expected to continue joint exercises with New Delhi and Indian port visits by Indonesian warships, as part of Indonesia’s focus on maritime security across Asia.
