India and Indonesia formalised two defence agreements on Tuesday during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Jakarta, covering the supply of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and the indigenous Astra beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile. The pacts were signed in the presence of Modi and President Prabowo Subianto at the Merdeka Palace, alongside 14 other bilateral documents spanning maritime security, critical minerals and electoral cooperation. Indian officials confirmed that the BrahMos deal makes Indonesia the third international operator of the system after the Philippines and Vietnam, while the Astra agreement marks the first foreign sale of the missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.

Speaking after the ceremony, Modi stated that the cooperation on the BrahMos system “demonstrates capability of Indian defence industry” and advances the government’s self-reliance agenda. President Prabowo stressed the need to deepen the Indonesia-India security dialogue in response to transnational threats and to build capacity in new technologies. The Indonesian defence ministry had earlier indicated that the BrahMos acquisition was in advanced stages, with a phased model that would allow Jakarta to gradually expand its missile capabilities. According to Indian government sources, the package under discussion includes training, maintenance, logistics support and associated infrastructure.

The Astra missile, with a speed of Mach 4.5 and an engagement range of up to 110 kilometres, will be integrated onto the Indonesian Air Force’s Russian-made Su-27 and Su-30 fighter fleet under a cooperation agreement between state-run Bharat Dynamics Limited and the Indonesian defence holding company Republikorp. The BrahMos system, jointly developed with Russia and capable of launch from land, sea and air platforms, is expected to bolster Indonesia’s coastal defence across its archipelagic territory. The two sides also agreed to enhance real-time maritime information sharing and coast guard cooperation, and signed an arrangement for the integrated development of Sabang Port, which overlooks the Strait of Malacca and sits 90 nautical miles from India’s southernmost territory.

Viewed from New Delhi, the agreements reinforce the “Act East” policy and India’s ambition to position itself as a reliable defence supplier in the Indo-Pacific, a region where China’s naval expansion and port investments have prompted concern among several ASEAN states. Analysts in Southeast Asia note that Indonesia’s procurement diversifies its sources of advanced military equipment away from traditional suppliers, while giving New Delhi a strategic foothold astride a chokepoint through which an estimated 75 to 80 per cent of China’s imported crude oil transits. The BrahMos deal follows a $375 million contract with the Philippines signed in 2022, with deliveries underway, and sustained interest from Vietnam and other countries.

The precise value and delivery timelines of the two missile agreements were not disclosed. Indian officials described the signing as the culmination of years of negotiations, and the Indonesian embassy in New Delhi did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The next steps are expected to involve technical integration work and the finalisation of commercial terms under the phased acquisition framework.