The Indian government is in initial, fast-progressing talks to export BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and Akashteer air defence systems to the UAE.
Selling the jointly developed BrahMos missile to Abu Dhabi will require export clearance from Russia, which is expected to be granted smoothly.
The Akashteer system, developed by Bharat Electronics, will help the UAE integrate its existing US-supplied air defence assets.
India is in early discussions with the United Arab Emirates to sell its supersonic cruise missile BrahMos and the Akashteer air defence system, according to a report by news agency Reuters.
"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 the news agency.
1 June 2026
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BrahMos, jointly developed by India and Russia, is among the world's fastest cruise missiles and can be launched from land, sea and air platforms. Akashteer is a fully automated air defence system developed by state-run Bharat Electronics Limited in collaboration with the Indian Army.
The UAE has been stepping up arms procurement following attacks by Iran during the conflict in the Middle East. The Gulf nation also seeks to protect the Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit for its energy exports, Reuters reported.
UAE's Defence Posture
The UAE currently operates several Western defence systems, including the US-made MGM-168 ATACMS ballistic missile, which has a maximum range of 300 km according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, as well as THAAD and Patriot systems. Akashteer, if acquired, would help integrate information from these existing platforms to counter aerial threats.
Earlier this year, the UAE signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korea worth more than $35 billion to promote defence cooperation.
Siemon Wezeman, a senior researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, said both BrahMos and Akashteer would potentially serve the UAE's needs, and that sales to Gulf states were possible despite India's track record of arms export deals not always being completed, the report added.
India views its defence partnership with the UAE as a strategic counterweight to the defence pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, Reuters reported, citing unnamed government sources. Data from SIPRI shows the United States was the top arms exporter to the Middle East between 2021 and 2025, accounting for 54% of supplies, followed by Italy at 12% and France at 11%.
BrahMos Export Push
Any BrahMos sale to the UAE would require approval from Russia, given the missile's joint development. However, this was unlikely to be a hurdle given Moscow's close ties with Abu Dhabi, the report further said.
The India-Pakistan conflict last year generated significant international interest in BrahMos after India used the missile in combat for the first time, the report added. India has since signed deals to sell BrahMos to Vietnam and Indonesia, with Thailand, South Africa, Brazil and Chile also expressing interest. The only prior export of the missile was to the Philippines in 2022.
India's defence exports surged to over $4 billion in the year ending March 2026, up from $7.26 million in FY14. Despite this growth, India remains the world's second-largest arms importer, accounting for over 8% of global arms imports, according to SIPRI.
