Abu Dhabi: The United Arab Emirates is considering the purchase of India’s BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and the Akashteer air-defence command-and-control system, according to reports.
The move is seen as part of the UAE’s push to strengthen national and airspace security after the recent conflict-related tensions in West Asia, even as the situation has temporarily eased.
Indian defence sources said bilateral discussions are at an early stage, but the process is moving quickly. However, neither the Indian government nor the UAE has officially confirmed the proposed deal.
The UAE already operates US-made systems such as THAAD and Patriot, but is said to be diversifying procurement to avoid reliance on a single country. If finalised, the UAE would become the fourth international buyer of BrahMos after the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia.
Akashteer is described as an indigenously developed, automated air-defence control system built by Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and the Indian Army, designed to detect and engage threats such as missiles, fighter aircraft and drones using radar-based inputs.
