India and Indonesia are making new progress in defense cooperation. According to an article in the Hindustan Times on July 8, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced after their meeting in Jakarta that both countries have reached a series of agreements, including the use of the BrahMos cruise missile and the Astra long-range air-to-air missile.
According to reports, the supply agreement for the joint Indian-Russian-developed “BrahMos” missile system was signed between BrahMos Aerospace and the Indonesian Ministry of Defense. The Indian state-owned defense company Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) has signed an agreement with the Indonesian defense company Republikorp for the supply of the “Astros” missiles.
Indian parade displayed the "Brahmos" missile. IC Photo
According to sources familiar with the matter, India is expected to provide Indonesia with two sets of ‘BrahMos’ missile systems, including missiles, launch devices, and radar equipment. Indonesia originally planned to purchase one set of the system, but later increased the order to two sets, with the related transaction amount estimated at approximately $350 million.
This transaction makes Indonesia the third ASEAN country to purchase the ‘Brahmos’ cruise missiles, following the Philippines and Vietnam. The ‘Brahmos’ are a joint development by India and Russia. They are important products for India’s defense exports, and they demonstrated their combat capabilities during last year’s India-Pakistan conflict.
In addition, the “Astra” missiles purchased by Indonesia were developed independently by India. Reports suggest that this may be the first time such missiles have been exported. The Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that these two missile deals demonstrate an improvement in India’s defense industry capabilities and also contribute to promoting the export of Indian military products.
Analyses suggest that Indonesia's expansion of military cooperation with India occurs at a time when both countries are strengthening their cooperation in maritime security, defense, and critical minerals. Both sides also announced that Indonesia will deploy liaison officers at the Indian Navy’s "Indian Ocean Regional Information Fusion Center" to enhance maritime security cooperation.
