India’s Missile Exports Reshape Asia-Pacific Coastal Defense Landscape

India’s BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is emerging as a key component of Southeast Asia’s evolving coastal defense strategy, with the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia collectively committing more than $1.6 billion to acquire the system since 2022.

The three procurement agreements are part of a regional trend, not just in the case of individual weapons. Some of the Asia-Pacific countries are also investing in interoperable land-based missile systems which enhance maritime deterrence and are designed to integrate with allied forces’ arms and personnel in multinational exercises, in addition to a focus on naval growth.

The growing export success also marks a milestone for India’s defense industry. BrahMos Aerospace, the Indo-Russian joint venture that manufactures the missile, reported revenue of 52 billion rupees ($605 million) for the financial year ending March 2026. India’s total defense exports reached 384 billion rupees (about $4 billion) during the same period, according to government data.

Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia Expand BrahMos Procurement

The Philippines became the first overseas customer for the BrahMos missile in January 2022 after signing a $375 million contract for three shore-based anti-ship missile batteries. Deliveries began in April 2024.

Vietnam later agreed to purchase the missile system under a deal reportedly worth about $629 million, including training, logistics and support.

The procurement was announced by Indonesia during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the country in March 2026. The package was worth approximately $630 million and comprised the Astra BVGR missile and the BrahMos coastal defense batteries, Reuters reported.

The Astra agreement also marked Indonesia as the first foreign country to purchase the missile created by India’s Defense Research and Development Organization.

BrahMos has drawn the interest of Malaysia and Thailand, though there is no official procurement deal with either country. Indonesian Defense Ministry spokesman Rico Ricardo Sirait said that the acquisition is part of the military upgrading plans in Indonesia.

Explaining Jakarta’s decision, Indonesian Defense Ministry spokesman Rico Ricardo Sirait told the Jakarta Globe that the purchase forms part of Indonesia’s military modernization plans.

“This is part of our efforts to modernize our weaponry, especially in beefing up our coastal defense,” Sirait said, adding that the missile system would “boost deterrence capabilities in safeguarding national sovereignty.”

BrahMos Joins Multinational Military Exercises

The regional interoperability aspect of India’s missile exports became more visible during Balikatan 2026, the annual joint military exercise involving the Philippines and the United States.

Held from April 20 through May 8, the exercise included more than 17,000 personnel from seven countries, including Japan, Australia and Canada. It marked the first participation of Philippine-operated BrahMos missile batteries.

Philippine Balikatan exercise director Maj. Gen. Francisco Lorenzo said the missile system would take part in a simulated maritime strike exercise.

“Its involvement will consist of a simulated firing during a maritime strike where two target vessels will be sunk in the northern part of Philippine territory, in Northern Luzon,” Lorenzo said during a press briefing.

A simulated firing activates targeting and fire-control systems without launching a live missile.

During the drills, Philippine BrahMos units operated alongside U.S. military systems, including the Typhon mid-range missile launcher and the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS).

Lt. Gen. Christian Wortman of the U.S. Marine Corps said the exercises were intended to improve operational coordination among allied militaries.

South China Sea Tensions Continue to Shape Procurement

Defense analysts say China’s expanding military presence and increasingly assertive posture in the South China Sea remain a major factor behind regional procurement decisions.

The growing deployment of China’s troops and increasingly assertive presence in the South China Sea continue to be a key driver of the procurement decisions for the region, according to defense analysts.

The arms acquisitions across Asia remain a subject of concern over China’s intentions and its military capabilities, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in its latest March 2026 report.

Collin Koh, a senior fellow at Singapore’s Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies, told CNBC that Indonesia’s purchase reflects broader regional security concerns.

“The perception of China’s growing threat in the South China Sea” is influencing procurement decisions, Koh said, while noting Indonesia does not officially identify China as its primary security threat despite disputes over the North Natuna Sea.

India has also offered the Philippines an extended-range version of the BrahMos missile capable of striking targets beyond 400 kilometers, compared with the current version’s approximate 290-kilometer range. Philippine defense authorities are evaluating the proposal, although no agreement has been announced.

The recent procurement deals indicate that India’s missile sales are now also being seen as part of a regional initiative to create integrated coastal defense systems, which are able to operate with partner countries as the concept of maritime security cooperation grows in the Asia-Pacific.