In a positive development for India, major Gulf countries such as Qatar, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia have shown interest in purchasing the Indo-Russian Brahmos supersonic cruise missile, Financial Express reports.
“The talks are still in the early stages and further discussions put on hold due to the global lockdown due to COVID-19,” sources confirmed to the publication.
It must also be noted that the Indian foreign minister S Jaishshankar just concluded a five-day tour of the Middle East.
The negotiations for this deal could possibly be done the Indian Army Chief General MM Naravane who will leave on Sunday (December 12) on a four-day tour to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
General Naravane will meet his counterparts and hold discussions with senior officials belonging to the two countries.
The BrahMos missile is already prepped to be sold to the Philippines as it has become the first customer of the missile system and a formal agreement will be signed during a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Philippines’ President Rodrigo Duterte in February 2021.
The BrahMos supersonic missile is a unique weapons platform with a range of 290 kilometres and it has been admitted in the three wings of the Indian armed forces.