India has finalised a deal to sell its BrahMos cruise missiles to Vietnam, according to a senior defence official, marking a significant expansion of New Delhi’s defence cooperation with Southeast Asian partners at a time of growing strategic competition in the region.
Rajesh Kumar Singh, a top Indian defence official, said the agreement with Vietnam has already been concluded, even though it has not yet been publicly announced. He made the remarks on Saturday during the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit in Singapore, one of the most prominent global forums for defence and strategic affairs.
“With Vietnam, I understand that it has already been signed, probably not publicly announced,” Singh said. “But it’s already been signed.” His comments indicate that the missile export deal has moved beyond negotiation into implementation, although neither government has formally confirmed the arrangement.
Singh also said India is in the final stages of securing similar agreements with Indonesia, suggesting that New Delhi is actively expanding its footprint in the global defence export market. The developments reflect India’s broader effort to position itself as a reliable supplier of advanced military hardware to friendly nations, particularly in Asia, where maritime security concerns have intensified in recent years.
The BrahMos missile system, jointly developed by India and Russia, is one of the fastest cruise missiles in operational use and has a reported firing range of at least 380 kilometres (186 miles). Designed for precision strikes against land and sea targets, the system is considered a key component of India’s conventional deterrence capabilities and has attracted interest from several countries seeking to modernise their defence systems.
The potential export of BrahMos missiles to Vietnam and Indonesia highlights growing defence collaboration between India and Southeast Asian nations, particularly in the context of shifting regional alliances and rising geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific. Defence analysts say such deals also reflect India’s ambition to diversify its arms exports beyond traditional markets and strengthen strategic partnerships through defence technology transfers.
The announcement comes just weeks after Vietnamese President To Lam met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi, where both leaders agreed to deepen economic and defence cooperation. The meeting underscored a shared interest in expanding bilateral ties, particularly in areas related to security, maritime cooperation and trade.
Vietnam has been steadily expanding its defence relationships with multiple partners as it seeks to balance its strategic position in the region. India, meanwhile, has been pursuing a “Act East” policy aimed at strengthening engagement with Southeast Asia through trade, infrastructure development and defence collaboration.
The reported missile deal also reflects a broader trend of increasing arms diversification among Southeast Asian states, many of which are seeking to reduce dependence on traditional suppliers and acquire more advanced capabilities. The BrahMos system, with its high speed and precision strike capacity, is seen as a significant upgrade for countries looking to modernise coastal defence systems and improve deterrence.
India’s growing role as an arms exporter has been supported by domestic defence manufacturing reforms and increased government emphasis on indigenous production. The BrahMos programme is often cited as a successful example of international collaboration in defence technology, combining Russian missile expertise with Indian systems integration and deployment capabilities.
Officials at the Shangri-La Dialogue did not provide further details on the timeline for delivery or deployment of the missiles to Vietnam. Neither the Indian nor Vietnamese governments have issued formal public statements confirming the finalisation of the agreement.
However, Singh’s remarks add to a series of recent signals suggesting deeper defence integration between India and its regional partners. If confirmed, the Vietnam deal would represent one of India’s most significant defence export agreements in Southeast Asia to date.
Indonesia, which is also reportedly in advanced talks with India over the BrahMos system, has similarly been expanding its defence procurement partnerships as it seeks to modernise its military capabilities across air, sea and land domains.
The expansion of BrahMos exports is likely to be closely watched by regional powers, particularly as the Indo-Pacific continues to emerge as a central theatre of strategic competition. Analysts say the growing circulation of advanced missile systems in the region could reshape deterrence dynamics and further intensify military modernisation efforts among neighbouring states.
As India deepens its defence partnerships across Southeast Asia, the BrahMos missile deal with Vietnam signals not only a commercial milestone but also a broader shift in regional security architecture, where emerging powers are increasingly shaping the balance of military influence.
