India in talks to sell BrahMos, Akashteer to UAE as Abu Dhabi eyes military modernisation: Report
The UAE has been exploring defence acquisitions from India and other international suppliers after coming under sustained Iranian attacks during the recent regional conflict
As Abu Dhabi accelerates military modernisation efforts in the aftermath of the West Asia conflict, India is in talks with the UAE to export some of its flagship defence platforms, including the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, according to a Reuters report, citing four Indian sources familiar with the matter.
The discussions, which have not been previously reported, also involve the potential sale of the Akashteer air defence command-and-control system, added the report, citing two sources with direct knowledge of the negotiations.
"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," Reuters quoted a third source as saying.
The BrahMos missile, developed through a joint venture between India and Russia, is regarded as one of the world's fastest supersonic cruise missiles and can be deployed from land-, sea- and air-based platforms. Akashteer, meanwhile, is an indigenous, fully automated air-defence command-and-control system developed by state-owned Bharat Electronics Limited in collaboration with the Indian Army.
More from WorldThe UAE has been exploring defence acquisitions from India and other international suppliers after coming under sustained Iranian attacks during the recent regional conflict. The Gulf nation is seeking to bolster its ability to counter emerging security threats and safeguard critical infrastructure, including the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for its energy exports.
As part of its broader military modernisation drive, the UAE earlier this year signed a defence cooperation memorandum of understanding with South Korea, a partnership estimated to be worth more than $35 billion.
"A diversified supplier base gives the UAE more strategic autonomy, and closer ties with India have the added benefit of not antagonising the US as the countries remain allies," Reuters quoted Pearl Pandya, South Asia senior analyst at Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, a conflict monitoring group, as saying.
According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the US was the biggest exporter of arms to West Asia between 2021 and 2025, supplying 54% of imports, followed by Italy at 12% and France at 11%.
Any export of the BrahMos missile to the UAE would require Russia's consent, as the weapon is jointly developed by New Delhi and Moscow.
However, securing such approval is unlikely to be a major obstacle given Russia's longstanding and close relationship with Abu Dhabi, Reuters quoted one source as saying.
According to Siemon Wezeman, a senior researcher with the arms transfers programme at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), both the BrahMos missile and the Akashteer air-defence system could be well suited to the UAE's operational requirements.
He noted, however, that India would face growing competition in the Gulf arms market, where several international suppliers are vying for defence contracts and the UAE already has established procurement ties with multiple countries.
Deepening India-UAE defence ties
The UAE already fields a range of advanced Western missile systems.
According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), its arsenal includes the US-made MGM-168 ATACMS ballistic missile, which has a strike range of up to 300 km. The country also operates the sophisticated THAAD and Patriot air-defence systems supplied by the US, giving it one of the most capable missile-defence networks in the region, reported Reuters.
Defence analysts say the addition of India's Akashteer system would not replace these platforms but could significantly enhance their effectiveness by integrating data from multiple sensors and weapons systems into a unified command-and-control network, improving the military's ability to detect, track and respond to aerial threats in real time.
Despite India's growing profile as a defence exporter, some analysts caution that a number of proposed arms deals announced over the years have not always translated into final contracts.
Even so, SIPRI arms-transfer researcher Siemon Wezeman said prospective sales to the UAE and other Gulf countries remain a realistic possibility as regional states diversify their procurement sources and seek new strategic partnerships.
The negotiations also reflect the broader transformation of India-UAE relations over the past decade. What was once a relationship centred largely on trade, energy and the Indian diaspora has evolved into a multifaceted strategic partnership, marked by major economic agreements, expanding security cooperation and a commitment to jointly develop defence technologies and military hardware.
According to Reuters, citing two Indian government sources, the ongoing discussions over the possible export of BrahMos and Akashteer highlight shifting geopolitical equations in West Asia.
New Delhi views its growing defence engagement with Abu Dhabi as strategically significant, particularly in the context of the recently strengthened military partnership between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
Analysts say the emerging India-UAE defence partnership must also be viewed through the prism of regional power competition.
"The growing ties must also be understood against the backdrop of wider regional geopolitical dynamics, in particular the competition between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi for regional leadership," Pandya said.
She argued that defence cooperation increasingly serves a diplomatic as well as a military purpose.
"Expanded defence ties between India and the UAE essentially serve as a form of strategic signalling, allowing both countries to showcase the strength and depth of their partnerships," she added.
India's defence export push gains momentum
Last year's four-day conflict between India and Pakistan, during which India deployed weapons systems including the BrahMos missile in combat for the first time, generated interest from prospective buyers in several countries, two Indian sources said.
Since then, India has finalised agreements to export the BrahMos missile to Vietnam and Indonesia. The two sources said Thailand, South Africa, Brazil and Chile have also expressed interest in acquiring the system. The embassies of those countries in New Delhi did not respond to emails seeking comment.
Prior to these deals, the Philippines was the only foreign buyer of the BrahMos missile, having signed an agreement in 2022.
According to the Indian government, the country's defence exports climbed to more than $4 billion in the financial year ending March 2026, up from just $7.26 million in 2013-14.
At the same time, India remains the world's second-largest arms importer, accounting for more than 8% of global weapons imports, according to SIPRI.
With inputs from agencies
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