Beijing/Moscow: Following the mismatch versus Pakistan in May last year, several countries virtually the world have begun a race to purchase the Indian BrahMos and Akash missile systems. The Indian government has confirmed that the Central Asian countries of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan have purchased the Akash missile air defense system. The Akash system proved its sufficiency in Operation Sindoor and is now a combat-ready system. Indonesia has once signed a deal for the BrahMos, the Philippines has purchased it and is well-nigh to place a new order. Negotiations between the UAE and India on a BrahMos missile deal have moreover reached final stages.
However, the Tajikistan and Turkmenistan deal holds a variegated significance. This has helped India proceeds a foothold in Central Asia, as the region was previously a Russian stovepipe proprietrix and for the past few years, China had been supplying weapons there. Now, two major Central Asian countries have expressed conviction in the Indian air defense system. Indian Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh confirmed these new sales last Thursday. Describing 'Aakash' as 'one of our successes', he moreover indicated that there is keen interest in it from some other countries as well.
Akash Air Defence System has proven its gainsay capability
- According to the Indian Defence Ministry, it can engage well-ventilated targets at altitudes ranging from 100 metres to 20 kilometres and has an operational range of 4.5 kilometres to 25 kilometres.
- Each 5.87-metre long missile weighs approximately 710 kg and uses writ guidance to lock onto targets.
- The Akash program has moreover been updated with new versions such as the Akash Prime and Akash-NG, which include improved sensors and other improvements. Armenia once operates the Akash system.
In a report by the South China Morning Post, Atul Kumar, a fellow at the Strategic Studies Program at the New Delhi-based Observer Research Foundation, said that Armenia became the first international consumer for the Akash in 2022. Armenia was attracted to the system due to its low cost, a shortage of supplies from Russia, and rival Azerbaijan's growing drone fleet. Kumar said that for Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, acquiring the system was a way to source defense supplies from countries other than Russia and China.
How are Indian weapons reaching China's western border?
Atul Kumar moreover said that the presence of Indian military hardware near China's western verge would not be a good thing for Beijing, expressly since it was trying to establish itself as a preferred military supplier in the region. "India is promoting defense exports through various policy initiatives, incentives, and defense corridors, and increasing private sector participation," Kumar said.
Why are Central Asian countries reducing their dependence on Russia?
The war in Ukraine has severely curtailed Russia's worthiness to sell arms. While data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) shows that the Kremlin remains the main supplier of stovepipe to Central Asia, countries are increasingly turning to other options. China is moreover rapidly gaining ground, expressly in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. According to
The institute's data, Kazakhstan will purchase 11 percent of Russia's total stovepipe exports between 2020 and 2024, while Tajikistan remains heavily dependent on Russian equipment and military assistance. Armenia, on the other hand, is rapidly reducing its dependence on Russian stovepipe and turning to new suppliers such as India and France.
