Jakarta. An Indian diplomat recently said that talks for Indonesia to buy the BrahMos missile system had been progressing smoothly, but remained vague on when they could shake hands on a deal.

A few months ago, the Indonesian Defense Ministry confirmed that it had partnered with India to buy these supersonic missiles to “beef up coastal defense”. The details on the timeline, contract value, and units are not out yet. Fast forward to July, Indian Ambassador to Indonesia Sandeep Chakravorty told reporters that negotiations were underway, while adding that its price tag could be a wow factor. He even mentioned how the Philippines had already ordered BrahMos’ shore-based anti-ship variant.

“BrahMos is a very affordable and reliable system, which countries like Indonesia can acquire. Discussions are very advanced with Indonesia,” Chakravorty said in Jakarta on Friday.

“We hope to conclude certain agreements on BrahMos as well.”

The diplomat did not say how much India is selling the BrahMos that it co-develops with Russia. But Chakravorty’s statement has revived the BrahMos deal ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jakarta next week. 

Modi will meet President Prabowo Subianto, a retired army general who dreams of a modern military. Chakravorty confirmed that they would have defense talks, among other things. He went on to say how New Delhi is open to sharing its experience of switching from an arms importer to an exporter.

“But we see also defense in a larger framework. We see it as part of the regional security,” Chakravorty said, while pointing out Indonesia’s borders over the trade chokepoint Malacca Strait and the need to address illegal fishing.

In late 2025, South China Morning Post wrote how Indonesia and India were “close to finalizing a $450 million sale of BrahMos missiles”. However, the contract also hinges on Russia’s approval.

Indonesia’s annual budget for defense purposes reaches Rp 337 trillion ($18.7 billion) in 2026. Some Rp 187.1 trillion (almost $10.4 billion) is earmarked for the Defense Ministry. The ministry gets to spend up to roughly Rp 83.5 trillion ($4.6 billion) for military upgrades. However, the free-falling rupiah has sparked a debate over whether it would be wise for Indonesia to spend its money on military upgrades.

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