Before concluding the deal, New Delhi will need Moscow’s consent, since BrahMos is a joint Indian-Russian development. One of the agency’s sources believes this is unlikely to become an obstacle, given the close relations between Russia and the UAE.
According to Reuters, Abu Dhabi’s interest is linked to increased arms purchases after the recent conflict in the Middle East.
The agency’s sources also say the talks include the possible sale of India’s Akashteer air-defense system.
“The UAE has shown interest in a number of our weapons systems, including BrahMos and Akashteer. Talks between India and the UAE are at an early stage but are moving quickly,” one of the sources said.
The Indian government said the arms-sale talks were “another sign of a shift in the regional balance of power.” India sees strengthening its partnership with the UAE as a counterweight to the recent defense agreement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
Sources also note that last year’s four-day war between India and Pakistan, during which India used BrahMos in combat for the first time, generated significant interest in the missiles from other countries.
India later signed agreements to supply BrahMos to Vietnam and Indonesia. Thailand, South Africa, Brazil and Chile have also shown interest in the missiles.
Before that, the only foreign buyer of BrahMos had been the Philippines, which signed a contract in 2022.
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