BrahMos Heads to the Gulf: India in Talks to Sell Supersonic Missile, Air Defence System to UAE

India is in preliminary discussions with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to sell the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and the Akashteer automated air defence system , four Indian government sources told Reuters on Monday, in what would be the missile's first ever export to a Middle Eastern country.

The talks, which have not been previously reported, are at an early stage but are progressing quickly, with a third source who has direct knowledge of the matter confirming that "UAE has shown interest for a number of our weapon systems including BrahMos and Akashteer." Indian officials and the UAE foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

BrahMos , jointly developed by India and Russia, is among the world's fastest cruise missiles, capable of being launched from land, sea, and air platforms. Akashteer , developed by state run Bharat Electronics Ltd in partnership with the Indian Army, is a fully automated command and control network that integrates information from multiple sensors to coordinate battlefield air defence operations.

The UAE's interest is driven by a sharp reassessment of its defence posture. The Gulf nation was heavily targeted by Iran during the recent war in West Asia and is now urgently enhancing its ability to respond to emerging threats, including the need to protect the Strait of Hormuz — a critical conduit for its energy exports. A diversified supplier base would give Abu Dhabi greater strategic autonomy, and analysts note that closer ties with India carry the added diplomatic advantage of not antagonising Washington. The UAE already operates the US MGM-168 ATACMS ballistic missile with a range of 300 km, as well as the sophisticated THAAD and Patriot air defence systems.

The timing is no accident. Last year's four day war between India and Pakistan , during which India fired BrahMos in combat for the first time, generated a surge of buyer interest globally. The missile overwhelmed Pakistan's Chinese origin air defence systems, hitting targets with remarkable accuracy during Operation Sindoor . Since then, India has inked deals to sell BrahMos to Vietnam and Indonesia, and has received expressions of interest from Thailand, South Africa, Brazil, and Chile. The only prior export of the missile was to the Philippines in 2022, in a deal worth $375 million .

Siemon Wezeman , a senior researcher with SIPRI's arms transfers programme, said both systems would potentially serve the UAE's needs, even as international competition to arm Gulf states intensifies and Abu Dhabi brings considerable experience with other suppliers to the table.

The strategic dimension extends beyond hardware. Analysts describe expanded India-UAE defence ties as a form of strategic signalling, allowing both countries to showcase the strength of their partnership and must be read against the broader backdrop of regional competition between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi for leadership in the Gulf. The two countries have recently concluded a flurry of agreements on trade, energy, and joint military hardware development, including a defence cooperation pact signed during UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's visit to New Delhi in January.

On the markets, shares in Bharat Dynamics Ltd , a key manufacturer in the BrahMos supply chain, rose 1.6% on the news. India's overall defence exports have surged to over $4 billion in the year ending March 2026, from a negligible $7.26 million in 2013-14, a trajectory that the BrahMos franchise is increasingly driving.