A number of countries have shown keen interest in Indian missile systems because of their accuracy, effectiveness and most importance their relative price compared to their Western/ Russian counterparts.
On November 22, 2017, IAF created a history of sorts by successfully firing the BrahMos air version anti-ship missile from its frontline Su-30MKI fighter aircraft off the Eastern Coast. The launch from the aircraft was smooth and the missile followed the desired trajectory before directly hitting the ship target.
The crew successfully tested the 2.5-ton supersonic cruise missile with a range of 400 km plus. The IAF is the first Air Force in the world to have successfully fired an air-launched 2.8 Mach surface attack missile of this category. The integration BrahMos on the aircraft is a very complex process involving mechanical, electrical and software modifications on aircraft.
The BrahMos missile will now give Indian Air Force a much-desired capability to strike from large stand-off ranges on any target be in sea or land with pinpoint accuracy by day or night and in all weather conditions. The 400 km range of the missile coupled with the superlative performance of the Su-30 aircraft with 3000 km + combat range gives the IAF a strategic reach and allows it to dominate the ocean and the battlefields. A lighter version with 800km range is already in the offing.
In addition are Akash airdefence missiles, Astra BVR air to air missile, Nag anti tank missiles and many more.
Many South East Asian countries, wary of China are ready to buy our missiles. It will be our first export and we have received increasing interests in the missiles from the Gulf countries. Though all the countries have not been named all indications point to BrahMos and Akash SAM (Surface to Air Missile) for which Vietnam and India are already at an advanced level of talks.
Last March, India showcased its Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas at Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace Exhibition or LIMA’19 in Malaysia as Kuala Lumpur scouts for fighter jets in the market near home. New Delhi is keen to move in the South East Asian market where demand has been fuelled among the smaller nations wary of China’s military power projection and base construction activity in the South China Sea.
