The United Arab Emirates is in talks with India over a substantial weapons purchase that would include cruise missiles and an advanced air-defense system, Reuters reported. The discussions are still at an early stage, but they are moving quickly, and Abu Dhabi is said to be seeking to diversify its military suppliers and build greater strategic autonomy.
The proposed package includes the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and the Akashteer air-defense system. BrahMos was developed jointly by India and Russia, so any sale would require Moscow’s technical approval, though officials do not expect Russia to block the deal. Akashteer is an automated air-defense system developed by Bharat Electronics with the Indian Army.
The Emiratis are reviewing arms purchases from India and other countries after suffering heavy attacks from Iran during the Middle East war. They want better defenses against emerging threats and stronger protection for the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for their energy exports. Earlier this year, the UAE signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korea to advance security cooperation worth more than $35 billion.
The report noted that the UAE already fields U.S.-made systems, including ATACMS, THAAD and Patriot, and that the new purchases would help it broaden its options without creating problems with Washington. According to SIPRI, the United States supplied 54% of Middle Eastern arms imports in 2021 to 2025, followed by Italy at 12% and France at 11%.
Israeli officials see the emerging India-UAE ties as strategically important, especially amid the strengthening of the UAE-Israel relationship during the war with Iran. Indian sources said the 2024 four-day India-Pakistan war, in which BrahMos was used in combat for the first time, boosted foreign interest in the missile. India has since signed BrahMos deals with Vietnam and Indonesia, received inquiries from Thailand, South Africa, Brazil and Chile, and had previously sold it only to the Philippines in 2022.
