India has begun preliminary negotiations with the United Arab Emirates on the possible sale of the BrahMos complex – a Russian-Indian supersonic cruise missile capable of reaching speeds of up to Mach 2.8.
Negotiations are still at an early stage, so it is premature to talk about a concluded contract. According to sources, the UAE has shown interest in several Indian defense systems, and the discussion of BrahMos has become part of a broader expansion of military-technical cooperation between the two countries.
For BrahMos, a possible deal with the UAE would be another major export achievement. The missile was created as part of the Russian-Indian joint project BrahMos Aerospace: Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya provided, in particular, technologies in the field of ramjet engines and cruise missiles, while India's DRDO contributed its own developments in the field of navigation, software, and launchers.
BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile and can be used against ground and naval targets. Depending on the variant, the missile can be launched from ground, ship, and air platforms. Official BrahMos Aerospace materials indicate speeds of up to Mach 2.8, as well as the possibility of use from various carriers.