India sells air defense missiles to Tajikistan, Turkmenistan in Central Asia push

NEW DELHI — India has sold its homegrown, short-range surface-to-air missile system called Akash, to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan gaining a foothold in Central Asia as it seeks to expand its defense exports.

Analysts say these countries are turning to India to reduce their reliance on Russia, one of the region’s main arms suppliers, whose defense resources are strained by its war with Ukraine.

“They are looking for a way to diversify at a time when Russia is no longer active in defense markets as it increasingly looks inwards towards its domestic needs, reducing its capacity to export air defense systems, especially in large numbers,” Aleksei Zakharov, a fellow at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi told Defense News. “As a result, Central Asian countries are looking for possible alternatives.”

Indian Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh confirmed the sales of the Akash surface-to-air missile system to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan earlier this month in an interview with news agency Asian New International. He did not disclose the contract value.

India moves closer to a homegrown, long-range air defense

In 2022, Armenia became India’s first foreign customer for the air defense system.

The Akash system can simultaneously engage multiple targets at ranges up to 25km according to the Defense Ministry. It also incorporates protections against electronic jamming.

Calling the system one of India’s “success stories,” Singh said: “It shows the maturing of our indigenous missile design and production system. It is effective in dealing with high-velocity aerial targets.”

Indian defense officials have said it was used effectively by the armed forces during the country’s four-day conflict with Pakistan in 2025.

Confidence in the missile system got a boost after it was “battle-tested” in a real conflict, according to Zakharov and could encourage Central Asian buyers to consider other Indian hardware, such as artillery and radar systems, as growing geopolitical uncertainty prompts countries to broaden their supplier base.

“Certainly this can be an important first step for India’s entry into the defense markets of Central Asia. For those countries, it is also about reducing dependency on any one single source which can be useful if there are disruptions,” he said. “The Indian systems such as Akash are also cost-effective.”

In fact, Armenia has emerged as India’s largest buyer of military equipment, signing defense contracts worth nearly $2 billion since 2020, according to reports. Its purchases include multiple-launch rocket systems, counter-drone systems and anti-tank missiles.

Analysts say India’s outreach in Central Asia also aims to balance China’s growing influence in the region where Beijing has emerged as a major supplier of military equipment in recent years.

India, which has been a major arms importer for decades has been gradually developing its own defense industry and boosting exports, which rose about 62 per cent in the last financial year to $4.1 billion. Indian companies export missiles, drones, armored vehicles, ammunition and aircraft components to more than 80 countries.

Its most high-profile export is the BrahMos, a supersonic cruise missile developed jointly with Russia. India has won customers in Southeast Asian countries like the Philippines, where it is delivering a shore-based, anti-ship system. New Delhi has also signed a deal with Vietnam, and discussions are underway with Indonesia to supply the missiles.

“BrahMos is a kind of benchmark for our emerging export story. This is one of the high-end strategic systems that we’ve been able to export,” he said.