With eye on China, India pushes missile exports

In what is being seen as measure to counter China's military assertiveness, India now is pushing for exporting its missiles systems. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar confirmed that the ministry of defence is indeed pushing for exporting Brahmos and Aakash missile systems.

Parrikar, who was in Bengaluru for the inaugural flight of the indigenously built basic trainer aircraft - HTT 40, told the media that since there has been an increase in missile production, India now wants to export them.

In past few months, reports have been doing the rounds that India has started sales negotiations with Vietnam for exporting its indigenously manufactured BrahMos medium-range anti-ship cruise missiles. The reports reveal that besides Hanoi, India also has plans to export its missile system to at least 11 other countries.

On Friday, the defence minister said that besides Brahmos, which is the world's fastest cruise missile with a top speed of up to three times the speed of sound, the MOD also plans to export the mid-range surface-to-air Aakash missile system.

“We have increased the production of Aakash missiles from 200 to 500. This is also true with other missiles. We will export the weapons without affecting our demand,” Parrikar said.

India for long has restrained itself from entering the weapons market wary of China. However, under the Modi government there has been a sharp shift in the policy.

Jeff M. Smith, Director of Asian Security Programs at the American Foreign Policy Council in Washington earlier this month told Reuters that New Delhi for long restrained itself from advancing its defence cooperation with Washington or Hanoi fearing an aggressive response from Beijing.

"Prime Minister Modi and his team of advisers have essentially turned that thinking on its head, concluding that stronger defense relationships with the U.S., Japan, and Vietnam actually put India on stronger footing in its dealings with China," Smith told Reuters.