Defence Deals On Anvil: 'BrahMos' For Vietnam, 'Prachand' For Argentina

India's amazing journey of transition from being the largest shopper of defence equipment to turning into a big-time vendor of military hardware continues with a high note as the country is all set to sell its highly-accomplished ''BrahMos'' missiles to Vietnam, signaling a deepening defence cooperation between the two countries.

What makes the development even more significant is that a team of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is in Argentina to negotiate with the Argentinian Air Force (FAA) to make a pitch for its indigenously developed products like light combat helicopter (LCH) "Prachand" and fighter jets "Tejas".

The BrahMos missiles, jointly developed by India and Russia, have been highly sought-after by countries seeking to bolster their defence capabilities due to their supersonic speed, precision, guidance and versatility. After Philippines, now Vietnam and Indonesia too have evinced keen interest in the missile.

Vietnam is expected to place an order between three to five units of BrahMos missiles. With each battery consisting of multiple missiles, projected to be priced at approximately $125 million, the potential deal could range between $375 million and $625 million -- depending on the number of units Vietnam intends to acquire, as per a Zee Business report.

This comes close on the heels of India's successful sale of three units of BrahMos missiles to the Philippines last year for $375 million. The missiles have gained a reputation as one of the most advanced anti-ship and land-attack missiles in the world.

Adding significance to the potential deal, Vietnam's Defence Minister Phan Văn Giang's is going to visit India on 19th of this month. The tour presents an opportunity for both countries to enhance their bilateral relations and strengthen their defence capabilities, as per the report.

Meanwhile, the HAL team, including Indian Ambassador to Argentina Dinesh Bhatia, met the FAA Chief Brigadier General Xavier Isaac. It remains to be seen if HAL will be able to clinch the "breakthrough" deal, in the background that its effort to sell the 'Dhruv' choppers to Ecuador had gone bust years ago, according to a report published in Eurasiantimes.com.

Prachand, which literally means 'fierce', is India's first indigenous multi-role combat helicopter with potent ground attack and aerial combat capability. It is the only helicopter operating at 5,000 metres above the sea level with a considerable load of weapons and fuel.

After Russian Mi-25 and Mi-35 choppers proved ineffective during the Kargil war in 1999, the Indian defence establishment felt the need for a dedicated platform capable of operating at high altitudes and delivering precision strikes. Customised as per the requirement of the Indian Air Force to operate in deserts and mountains, Prachand was formally inducted into it in October last year.

"The negotiations are going on, and nothing concrete can be said at the moment. The Indian team is still in Argentina. But the Argentinians had shown interest in the LCH during the Aero-India air show in 2023," an HAL official was quoted by the portal as saying.

India has long been harbouring the hopes of emerging as a key player in the defence export market. In its quest to become an arms exporter, it has been tapping Latin American, African and South East Asian countries. Of late, it has found some success in the recent times due the present government's emphasis on development and self-reliance.

With India's increasing role as a major exporter of defence equipment, the sale of BrahMos missiles to Vietnam could help deepen strategic ties between the two nations. As both countries strive for stability and security in the region, this potential deal could contribute to a stronger defense network in Southeast Asia.

BrahMos Aerospace, the developer and manufacturer of the missile, is a joint venture between India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya (NPOM).