Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday presented a finely crafted replica of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to visiting Indonesian Defence Minister Lt Gen (Retd) Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin during the third India-Indonesia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue in New Delhi.
The ceremonial handover, widely shared across official and social media platforms, is being seen as a clear signalling that Jakarta is close to finalising the purchase of shore-based BrahMos regiments – a deal estimated to be worth between $350 million and $800 million.
The Indonesian delegation, on a three-day visit (November 26–28), was accorded a tri-services Guard of Honour before bilateral talks that focused on regional security, maritime security, joint exercises, defence industry collaboration, and fast-tracking the BrahMos acquisition.
Speaking after the meeting, Rajnath Singh described the India-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as “a cornerstone of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.” He reiterated India’s commitment to supporting partner nations with cutting-edge, battle-proven defence systems under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
The Indonesian Defence Minister praised BrahMos as “the world’s fastest and most reliable supersonic cruise missile,” stating that its induction would significantly strengthen Jakarta’s coastal and maritime deterrence, particularly in the strategically vital Malacca Strait approaches.
If concluded, Indonesia would become the second major export customer for BrahMos after the Philippines (2022 contract worth $375 million). Multiple other Southeast Asian and West Asian nations are also in advanced discussions for the missile.
The two sides concluded the dialogue with a joint statement pledging deeper cooperation in defence technology, counter-terrorism, and maritime domain awareness.
