India has agreed to sell its indigenous air-launched Astra missile and signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the sale of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to Indonesia. This makes Indonesia the third nation in the region—often considered China's backyard—to secure such missile contracts from New Delhi.
The announcement followed a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta on Tuesday. The deal underscores India's growing defense exports and strategic outreach in Southeast Asia.
Strategic Location and Missile Systems
Indonesia sits astride four major straits—Malacca, Lombok, Sunda, and Ombai-Wetar—which connect the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. These straits are critical shipping arteries. To secure these waters, Indonesia has sought coastal batteries of the BrahMos missile capable of hitting targets up to 290 kilometers at sea.
A typical BrahMos battery includes launchers, radars, and missiles. The MoU does not specify the number of batteries, but it is likely to exceed the single battery Indonesia originally requested in March 2024, when the preliminary procurement framework was established. India has previously supplied the same 290-km range version to the Philippines and Vietnam, adhering to Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) restrictions.
Astra Missile: First Export Customer
Indonesia has also requested 150 Astra Mark-1A Beyond-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (BVRAAM). These missiles, already integrated with the Indian Air Force's Russian-origin Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter jets, have a range of 100 kilometers. New Delhi plans to double this range. Indonesia operates a small fleet of Sukhoi jets, and India has the technical framework to integrate the Astra missile using existing aircraft-missile software and hardware.
Indonesia will become the first export customer for the Astra missile system. The Astra Mk-1 is an all-weather, radar-guided, beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited. The BrahMos is a joint venture between DRDO and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya, established in 1998.
Countering China's Influence
The sale of Astra and BrahMos systems appears part of India's strategy to counter China, which has been supplying weapons to Pakistan and Bangladesh. The Philippines signed a BrahMos contract worth $375 million in 2022, with deliveries starting in 2024. A similar contract with Vietnam is reportedly valued at approximately $620 million.
The export of lethal, supersonic "fire-and-forget" systems to ASEAN nations—especially those with overlapping maritime claims in the South China Sea—marks a major shift. Analysts say New Delhi is actively sharing advanced technology with regional partners to secure maritime commons and build resilient supply chains outside traditional blocs.
The Philippines and Vietnam are both engaged in maritime territorial disputes with China in the hydrocarbon-rich South China Sea. Indonesia has a small coastline along the same sea but is not part of the dispute. Nonetheless, the deal strengthens India's strategic footprint in the region.
