Within the framework of the agreement between Indonesia and India regarding the BrahMos missile anti-ship missiles, Jakarta is moving forward to equip its Navy with this system. As confirmed by the spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Defense, Rico Ricardo Sirait, Jakarta signed an understanding with New Delhi to incorporate these supersonic cruise missiles, as part of the Southeast Asian country’s plans to modernize its military capabilities.
According to the information released, the agreement includes the purchase of the BrahMos missile system, developed by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture owned by the governments of India and Russia. Sirait noted that the understanding is part of the process of modernizing Indonesia’s military equipment and defense capabilities, particularly in the maritime domain.
Although the official did not confirm the total value of the operation, previous reports indicated that negotiations between Jakarta and New Delhi had been in an advanced stage since 2023. At that time, BrahMos Aerospace had reported that it was in talks with Indonesia to finalize an agreement estimated between $200 and $350 million.
The potential contract with Indonesia is part of the export strategy for the BrahMos missile system promoted by the Indian government. In 2022, the supersonic missile obtained its first international contract when Philippines, a neighboring country of Indonesia in Southeast Asia, signed an agreement to acquire coastal batteries of the system.
Negotiations between Indonesia and India had already been anticipated at the beginning of 2025, when it emerged that Jakarta was evaluating the acquisition of BrahMos missile missiles with the aim of strengthening its anti-ship capabilities. Reports published at that time indicated that the operation could reach a value of up to $450 million and that the Indonesian Ministry of Defense had initiated formal procedures through the Indian embassy in Jakarta.
Various sources also indicated that the operation could be facilitated by financial mechanisms associated with the BRICSgroup, of which Indonesia is a member, which would allow payments to be made in rupiah. Likewise, the possibility was mentioned that the Indian government could offer financing through a loan granted by the State Bank of India, an institution that would have been considered to support the operation.
On the political level, defense cooperation between both countries has been accompanied by recent diplomatic gestures. In this context, the Indonesian president, Prabowo Subianto, reportedly canceled a planned visit to Pakistan to prioritize a trip to India and later to Malaysia, a decision interpreted as a favorable signal to advance the acquisition of the BrahMos missile system.
The growth of the Indonesian Navy
The potential purchase of these missiles is also part of a broader process of modernization of the Indonesian Navy. Among the ongoing initiatives is the progress in the transfer of the aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi (aircraft carrier)from Italy, an operation that Rome proposes to complete as a donation and which could facilitate future contracts worth more than €1.53 billion linked to the acquisition of aircraft and submarines.
In parallel, Indonesia continues to strengthen its naval industry and surface fleet. A recent example was the launching of the frigate KRI Balaputradewa-322, built by the state-owned company PT PAL Indonesia, which became the first of two units of the Merah Putih class based on the Arrowhead 140 design. The program also includes the construction of new multi-role frigates under the Maritime Partnership Program (MPP), an initiative valued at £4 billion that reinforces the country’s international cooperation in military shipbuilding.
*Images for illustrative purposes.
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