India to export BrahMos missiles to Vietnam, other friendly nations
10 Jun 2016
With entry into the Missile Technology Control regime almost near and China threatening to dwarf its influence in its Asian neighbourhood, India is reported to have stepped up efforts to sell the advanced cruise missile system BhahMos to at least 15 countries in East Asia, including Vietnam.
Export of the supersonic BrahMos missile jointly produced by India and Russia, would at least in a small way make India, the world's biggest arms importer, an exporter as well.
The two partners have agreed to exporting the BrahMos missile, the fastest cruise missile, so far, to mark a shift for India as it seeks to export weapons to shore up defences of its East Asia partners.
The government has directed BrahMos Aerospace, which produces the missiles, to accelerate sales to a list of five countries, including Vietnam, Indonesia, South Africa, Chile and Brazil.
The Philippines is at the top of a second list of 11 nations, including Malaysia, Thailand and United Arab Emirates, countries that had "expressed interest but need further discussions and analysis", a undated government note said.
A source familiar with the matter would only say the note was issued earlier this year.
India had earlier been going slow on a 2011 request from Hanoi for the BrahMos for fear of angering China.
Indonesia and the Philippines had also sought the BrahMos, which has a range of 290 km and can be fired from land, sea and submarine. An air-launched version is under testing.