BrahMos blitz: India's cruise missile gets interest from more Southeast Asian nations

India's BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is expanding its footprint in Southeast Asia, with the Philippines already receiving the missile system, Vietnam signing an agreement and several other countries holding advanced-stage talks with New Delhi. According to PTI, BrahMos Aerospace CEO and Managing Director Jaiteerth R Joshi said on Friday that negotiations with other interested countries were progressing and new export deals could be finalised once the government grants approval.

"Once the government clears it, we will have a deal with them," he told reporters in Hyderabad, responding to a question about countries that had finalised agreements and those with which negotiations were under way. The growing international interest comes amid increased attention on the missile following Operation Sindoor.

Joshi said the operation had not been anticipated when the missiles were originally manufactured, with some of them dating back 10, 15 or even 20 years. Highlighting how the missiles maintained their operational reliability despite being manufactured years earlier, he credited non-destructive testing (NDT) for ensuring their readiness. "NDT plays a vital role for any product. Operation Sindoor was never anticipated. The missiles were made 10, 15, 20 years back. NDT has ensured their reliability. The moment we took the item and fired, it went and delivered," he said.

Non-destructive testing involves inspecting materials, components and equipment without damaging them. It helps identify defects, structural weaknesses and deterioration while ensuring that critical systems remain fit for operational use. In the defence and aerospace sectors, NDT is particularly important because military equipment can remain in storage for years before deployment. Regular inspections help assess its condition and reliability. BrahMos is a two-stage supersonic cruise missile jointly developed by India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyenia. The missile uses a solid-propellant booster to accelerate to supersonic speed, followed by a liquid-fuel ramjet engine that sustains its cruise flight at approximately Mach 2.8 (3400 km/h).