Indonesia-India BrahMos deal buys Jakarta conflict insurance

AI Summary

Indonesia signed a deal to acquire the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system from India and Russia, becoming the third Southeast Asian country to deploy the weapon. The deal is part of Indonesia’s strategic effort to protect its waterways amidst concerns of future great-power conflicts in the region.

Indonesia has become the third Southeast Asian nation – after Vietnam and the Philippines – to buy the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system jointly developed by India and Russia. Analysts say the missiles will play a vital role in protecting Indonesia’s strategic waterways from becoming collateral damage in the event of a future great-power conflict. The deal was signed on Tuesday during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s three-day state visit to Indonesia, during which he held bilateral...