Indonesia, India sign BrahMos missile deal

Indonesia and India solidified their defense and economic ties with a significant deal for the BrahMos cruise missile system. The agreement was announced Tuesday following a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta, marking Modi's first visit to the Southeast Asian nation since 2023.

The Indonesian presidential palace confirmed the contract signing between BrahMos, an India-Russia joint venture, and Indonesia's defense ministry. While specific financial details were not immediately released, Reuters previously reported that India would supply both the BrahMos cruise missile system and the Astra air-to-air missile to Indonesia. BrahMos had previously indicated advanced discussions for a deal valued between $200 million and $350 million, having already secured agreements with Vietnam and the Philippines.

Beyond defense, the two largest democracies in the world also advanced economic cooperation. Memorandums of understanding were signed to bolster supply chains in critical minerals and steel, with Steel Authority of India and Indonesia’s Krakatau steel planning a joint venture for stainless steel slab production. The leaders also committed to accelerating preferential trade agreement talks and promoting maritime safety and security in the Indian Ocean.

President Subianto highlighted the mutual benefits of partnerships between the two nations, stating, "Partnerships between us will bring benefits to the region." Prime Minister Modi echoed the sentiment of collaboration, though neither leader directly mentioned the BrahMos deal in their public remarks. This visit follows a meeting in New Delhi last year where a wide range of agreements were also established.

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We’re two of the largest democracies in the world. Partnerships between us will bring benefits to the region.