Vietnam joins rush for India’s battle-tested BrahMos missiles

Vietnam has become the latest country to enter talks to buy India’s supersonic BrahMos missile – and at least 15 more are reportedly interested – as defence ministries across Asia and elsewhere increasingly look beyond Western-made systems.New Delhi and Hanoi are in advanced negotiations over a potential US$700 million deal, with talks progressing during Vietnamese President To Lam’s visit to India this week, where he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and other Indian officials.If a deal is done, Vietnam would become the third country to acquire the supersonic cruise missile system, following the Philippines’ US$375 million purchase in 2022 and Indonesia’s agreement in March to finalise a contract worth at least US$340 million.“We do talk about the number of platforms, BrahMos platform is one of them … watch this space,” P. Kumaran, secretary (east) in India’s Ministry of External Affairs, told reporters, confirming the discussions.Residents sift through the debris of a building destroyed in an Indian missile strike in Muridke, Pakistan, on May 7, 2025. Photo: XinhuaBrahMos’ growing export appeal rests on a combination of raw performance and its proven combat abilities. The missile’s battlefield debut came during “Operation Sindoor” in May 2025, India’s military campaign against Pakistan following a militant attack in Pahalgam, Indian-administered Kashmir, that killed at least 26 civilians.