A few weeks ago, India's Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh confirmed that an agreement to sell BrahMos missiles to Vietnam had already been signed and that Indonesia was next in line.
Singh said, "My understanding is that with both Indonesia and Vietnam, the deal is in the final stages. In fact, for Vietnam, I understand that it has already been signed, probably not publicly announced, but it has already been signed."
Now, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Indonesia, a media report has claimed that Indonesia is keen to go beyond the single BrahMos missile battery it had sought earlier in March.
The sale of additional BrahMos supersonic missile systems is expected to come up during Modi's three-day visit to the country, according to a report in The Tribune. Modi's visit to Indonesia will begin on July 6.
Sources cited by The Tribune said India and Indonesia are working on a phased procurement plan that includes the BrahMos missile, capable of striking targets up to 290 km away.
In March, Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait of Indonesia's Ministry of Defence (MoD) had said, "Indonesia has partnered with India for the procurement of the BrahMos missile system. This is part of our efforts to modernise our armed forces, especially by strengthening our coastal defence."
If confirmed, the deal would be another testament to India's increasing reputation as a reliable supplier of advanced military equipment in the global defence market.
