A Russian Navy frigate fires a Zircon hypersonic anti-ship missile. Representational image.
Credit: Reuters File Photo
By Sudhi Ranjan Sen and Chandra Asmara
India is considering a $450 million deal to sell Russian-backed supersonic cruise missiles to Indonesia as the Southeast Asian country looks to bolster defenses, according to people familiar with the matter.
The sale of the BrahMos cruise missiles is expected to be announced as early as this week when Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto officially visits India, the people said, asking not be identified as discussions are private. Prabowo is set to attend the Republic Day celebrations as a special guest on Sunday.
A key hurdle for Indonesia is securing financing for the missile purchases given the nation’s budget constraints, one of the people said. Funding is still being discussed with India and it’s unclear when a deal can be finalized for the missiles, which have a firing range of at least 380 kilometers (186 miles).
If the sale goes through, Indonesia would be the second country after the Philippines to acquire the anti-ship cruise missiles. Southeast Asian nations are modernizing and bolstering their militaries as the South China Sea remains a flashpoint with an assertive China and President Donald Trump back in the White House.
India and Indonesia have been negotiating for about a decade for the sale of the BrahMos cruise missile, jointly developed by India and Russia. Rosoboronexport, Russia’s state owned military hardware supplier, is part of the negotiations, the people said.