India is exploring a major new defence export opportunity as the government holds discussions with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the possible sale of some of its flagship indigenous weapons systems, including the supersonic BrahMos cruise missile and the advanced Akashteer air defence network, Reuters reported on Monday.
The talks reportedly come at a time when the Gulf nation is reassessing its defence preparedness and accelerating military procurement after heightened tensions and recent conflict in the Middle East exposed vulnerabilities in regional security infrastructure.
UAE shows interest in India’s top defence platforms
It is reportedly said that the UAE has expressed interest in acquiring several Indian defence systems, with BrahMos and Akashteer emerging as key areas of focus. Sources familiar with this decision said talks are currently at an early stage but are progressing quickly.
“UAE has shown interest for a number of our weapon systems including BrahMos and Akashteer. The talks between India and UAE are at initial stages and are progressing fast,” a source told Reuters. Neither Indian officials nor the UAE government have officially commented on the negotiations so far.
Why BrahMos remains India’s biggest defence export attraction
The BrahMos missile which is jointly developed by India and Russia, has emerged as one of India’s most sought-after defence exports in recent years. Recognised as one of the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missiles, BrahMos can be launched from land, air and sea platforms, making it a versatile strike weapon capable of precision attacks at high speed.
India has aggressively marketed the missile globally after its successful operational deployment and growing strategic relevance in Asia-Pacific and Middle East security calculations.
However, as BrahMos is a joint India-Russia project, any export deal with the UAE would require approval from Russia. Sources said that this is unlikely to become a hurdle given Moscow’s close diplomatic and defence ties with Abu Dhabi.
Akashteer could strengthen UAE air defence network
The second major system under discussion is Akashteer, a fully automated air defence command and control platform developed jointly by the Bharat Electronics Limited and the Indian Army. Unlike missile systems, Akashteer functions as an integrated battlefield air defence network, connecting radars, surveillance systems and weapons platforms to detect and neutralise aerial threats more efficiently.
Defence experts told Reuters that the system could improve the UAE’s ability to coordinate responses against drone attacks, missiles and other emerging aerial threats significantly.
Middle East conflict pushing UAE to diversify weapons suppliers
The UAE’s growing interest in Indian weapons comes after the country reportedly faced serious security concerns during recent regional conflict involving Iran, forcing Abu Dhabi to rethink its military preparedness.
With this, it can be seen that protecting the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz remains a major priority for the Gulf nation, as the narrow waterway handles a large portion of global oil and gas shipments.
Traditionally, the UAE has heavily relied on Western military suppliers, particularly the United States, but recent geopolitical uncertainty is pushing it to diversify procurement. Earlier this year, the UAE signed a defence cooperation agreement worth over $35 billion with South Korea.
India-UAE defence ties growing stronger
According to Reuters, expanding defence cooperation between India and the UAE shows rapid deepening strategic ties between the two countries in recent years. Apart from trade and energy partnerships, both nations have already signed agreements focused on joint military hardware development and broader strategic cooperation.
Strategic signal amid shifting regional alliances
The report cited sources and said that the proposed defence deal also talks about the geopolitical calculations unfolding in West Asia. India sees closer defence ties with the UAE partly as a counterbalance to the recent defence cooperation pact signed between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
The report also noted that evolving defence partnership also highlights the competition between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi for regional strategic influence. Pandya said stronger India-UAE military cooperation sends a broader geopolitical message.
India’s defence exports witnessing record growth
India’s expanding defence export ambitions have gathered momentum in recent years, particularly after growing global confidence in indigenous weapons systems. The international interest in Indian defence hardware surged significantly after India deployed BrahMos during last year’s conflict with Pakistan, marking its first major combat usage.
Since then, India has reportedly signed BrahMos export deals with Vietnam and Indonesia, while countries including Thailand, Brazil, South Africa and Chile have also reportedly shown interest. The only confirmed previous export sale of BrahMos was to the Philippines in 2022.