India and the United Arab Emirates are in discussions over the potential sale of several Indian-made defence systems, including the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and the Akashteer air defence network, according to four Indian sources familiar with the matter speaking to Reuters.


The talks come as the UAE seeks to strengthen its defence capabilities following the recent conflict in the Middle East and amid growing concerns over regional security.


"UAE has shown interest for a number of our weapon systems including BrahMos and Akashteer. The talks between India and UAE are at initial stages and are progressing fast," said a source with direct knowledge of the discussions.


The BrahMos missile, jointly developed by India and Russia, is one of the world's fastest cruise missiles and can be launched from land, sea and air platforms. Akashteer, developed by India's state-owned Bharat Electronics Ltd in collaboration with the Indian Army, is a fully automated air defence command-and-control system designed to integrate information from multiple sensors and coordinate responses to aerial threats.


According to sources, the UAE is considering acquiring military equipment from India and other suppliers after coming under attack from Iran during the recent regional conflict. The Gulf state is also seeking to enhance its ability to protect critical infrastructure, including the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global energy exports.


Earlier this year, the UAE signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korea aimed at expanding defence cooperation in deals expected to be worth more than $35 billion.


"A diversified supplier base gives the UAE more strategic autonomy, and closer ties with India have the added benefit of not antagonising the U.S. as the countries remain allies," said Pearl Pandya, a South Asia senior analyst at the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) project.


According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the United States was the largest supplier of arms to the Middle East between 2021 and 2025, accounting for 54% of imports. Italy and France followed with 12% and 11%, respectively.


Any sale of the BrahMos missile to the UAE would require Russian approval because the weapon is jointly developed by India and Russia. One source familiar with the matter said Moscow's close ties with Abu Dhabi make approval unlikely to be a major obstacle.


Siemon Wezeman, a senior researcher with SIPRI's arms transfers programme, said both systems could meet the UAE's military requirements despite increasing competition among international arms suppliers.


By Sabina Mammadli