India in talks to sell BrahMos missiles, Akashteer to UAE

India is in talks with the United Arab Emirates to sell some of its flagship weapons systems, including the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and the Akashteer air-defense system, a signal that New Delhi’s defense-export ambitions are moving from aspiration to strategy. The discussions are at an early stage but are advancing quickly, and they come as Abu Dhabi accelerates arms procurement after the Middle East war and seeks suppliers beyond its traditional Western partners.

The potential sale carries significance well beyond a single contract. For India, BrahMos would deepen its profile as a strategic arms exporter and build on what New Delhi has already described as its first major weapon-export success. BrahMos Aerospace signed a landmark export contract with the Philippines in January 2022, and the company says the missile can be launched from land, sea, submarine and air platforms. Official material describes BrahMos as flying at about Mach 2.8 with a conventional warhead of up to 200 kilograms, making it one of the world’s fastest cruise missiles.

Akashteer would give the UAE another high-end option in air and missile defense. India’s official material describes it as the country’s fully indigenous automated Air Defence Control and Reporting System, while Bharat Electronics Limited says the system is intended to modernize and network India’s air-defense command structure. For Abu Dhabi, that combination of mobility, automation and layered defense comes at a moment when the security of the Strait of Hormuz remains central to Gulf energy flows and regional deterrence planning.

The talks also reflect a broader shift in India-UAE relations. The two countries elevated ties to a Comprehensive and Strategic Partnership after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2015 visit to the UAE, the first by an Indian prime minister in 34 years. Indian official briefings say Modi visited again on 15 May 2026, and they describe the UAE as one of India’s largest trading partners, a major energy supplier and a key investor. In January 2026, India and the UAE signed a Framework for the Strategic Defence Partnership during the visit of UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The UAE has also been broadening its defense options elsewhere, including a memorandum of understanding with South Korea worth more than $35 billion. That pattern points to a more multipolar security landscape in the Gulf, where states are spreading risk across suppliers while preserving ties with Washington. If the India-UAE talks become a sale, they would mark another step in India’s effort to turn advanced indigenous systems into a durable export business, and another sign that Gulf buyers are looking increasingly to Asia for top-tier military hardware.