India has signed a landmark defence agreement to export BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to Vietnam in a contract valued at ₹6,000 crore (approximately $629 million). The announcement, confirmed during the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, positions Vietnam as the second international buyer of the BrahMos weapon system after the Philippines. This strategic deal marks a major step forward in India’s defence manufacturing capabilities and strengthens security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.
Details of the Export Agreement
The agreement was officially confirmed by India’s Defence Secretary, Rajesh Kumar Singh, on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, an international security forum. The deal, valued at ₹6,000 crore (approximately $629 million), represents a comprehensive package. Under the terms of the contract, India will supply multiple batteries of the shore-based anti-ship variant of the BrahMos missile system. The package also includes specialized training for Vietnamese military personnel, maintenance services, and long-term logistical support to ensure operational readiness.
This contract represents the second major international export of the BrahMos system, following the $375 million deal signed with the Philippines in 2022. The Defence Secretary also indicated that negotiations for a similar export agreement with Indonesia are currently in their final stages, highlighting a growing interest among Southeast Asian nations in Indian defence platforms.
Strategic Importance of the India-Vietnam Defence Partnership
The bilateral relationship between India and Vietnam is anchored in long-standing political and security cooperation. The relationship was formally established as a Strategic Partnership in 2007 and upgraded to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2016. In May 2026, marking the tenth anniversary of this milestone, the two nations elevated their ties to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Defence cooperation remains a central pillar of this engagement, reflecting shared regional security interests.
In June 2022, the two nations signed the Joint Vision Statement on India-Vietnam Defence Partnership towards 2030, which outlines cooperation goals for the decade. Concurrently, they signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Mutual Logistics Support. This was a historic agreement as it marked the first logistics support pact that Vietnam signed with any country. It allows the militaries of both nations to utilize each other’s bases for replenishment and repairs, simplifying bilateral operational coordination.
This partnership is highly significant for regional security, particularly in the South China Sea, where both nations advocate for a rules-based order, freedom of navigation, and maritime sovereignty. The export of the BrahMos missile system provides Vietnam with a credible coastal defence capability. This agreement builds upon earlier capacity-building efforts by India, which included the gifting of the active-duty missile corvette INS Kirpan to the Vietnam People’s Navy in 2023. These initiatives align closely with India’s Act East Policy and its security vision for the region, known as SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region).
Technical Specifications of the BrahMos Missile System
The BrahMos is a highly advanced supersonic cruise missile developed by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture established in 1998 between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya (NPOM). The name BrahMos is a portmanteau derived from two major rivers, namely the Brahmaputra of India and the Moskva of Russia. Under the joint venture agreement, India holds a 50.5% stake, while Russia owns the remaining 49.5% share.
The weapon system operates on a two-stage propulsion mechanism. The first stage consists of a solid propellant booster rocket that accelerates the missile to supersonic speed before detaching. The second stage employs a liquid ramjet engine, which sustains its high cruise velocity. Operating on a “fire-and-forget” principle, the missile uses active radar terminal guidance to locate targets without requiring constant operator input after launch.
Initially, the missile’s range was limited to 290 km to comply with the guidelines of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). Following India’s entry into the MTCR in 2016, researchers successfully upgraded the missile’s range, extending it to 450 km for advanced configurations, with certain test variants designed to strike targets at even greater distances.
| Technical Parameter | Specification Details |
|---|---|
| Missile Category | Supersonic cruise missile |
| Joint Venture Ownership | India’s DRDO (50.5%) and Russia’s NPOM (49.5%) |
| Maximum Speed | Mach 2.8 to Mach 3.0 |
| Propulsion System | Two-stage (solid booster and liquid ramjet engine) |
| Operational Range | 290 km (base version), extended to 450 km (upgraded version) |
| Warhead Capacity | 200 kg to 300 kg conventional payload |
| Launch Versatility | Land-based launchers, naval ships, submarines, and fighter aircraft |
India’s Growing Defence Export Footprint
The export agreement with Vietnam highlights India’s ongoing transition from a leading global weapons importer to an active defence exporter. This transition is guided by national manufacturing initiatives, specifically the Make in India campaign and the Atmanirbhar Bharat self-reliance program. Originally, the Union Government established a target to achieve ₹35,000 crore (approximately $5 billion) in annual defence exports by 2025. Building on recent growth, the Ministry of Defence set a revised long-term objective of reaching ₹50,000 crore in yearly defence exports by the 2029-30 fiscal year.
This target is supported by a significant increase in international sales. India’s defence exports rose by 61% to reach a record ₹38,000 crore in the previous fiscal year. While the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile serves as the flagship offering, India also exports indigenous rocket systems, radar equipment, armoured vehicles, patrol vessels, and advanced avionics to countries across the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa.
The financial performance of defence manufacturers reflects this commercial expansion. For the financial year 2025-26, the joint venture BrahMos Aerospace registered record annual revenues exceeding ₹5,200 crore. These figures demonstrate the viability of domestic manufacturing consortia in securing international contracts and funding further research into advanced missile technologies.
Key Takeaways
- India has signed a strategic defence agreement to export BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to Vietnam in a contract valued at ₹6,000 crore (approximately $629 million).
- Vietnam is the second international customer to procure the BrahMos missile system after the Philippines, which signed a $375 million contract in 2022.
- The BrahMos missile is produced by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture established in 1998 between India’s DRDO (50.5% stake) and Russia’s NPOM (49.5% stake).
- The propulsion system of the BrahMos missile consists of a solid propellant booster stage and a liquid ramjet engine, allowing it to sustain speeds of Mach 2.8 to Mach 3.0.
- India and Vietnam elevated their bilateral relationship to an Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in May 2026 to mark the tenth anniversary of their strategic cooperation.
- The Government of India has set a revised national target to reach ₹50,000 crore in annual defence exports by the 2029-30 fiscal year.
