Why India's missile deal shake Russia and China? Tajikistan-Turkmenistan purchase the Akash defense system

Beijing/Moscow: Following the conflict against Pakistan in May last year, several countries around 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 capability in Operation Sindoor and is now a combat-ready system. Indonesia has already signed a deal for the BrahMos, the Philippines has purchased it and is about to place a new order. Negotiations between the UAE and India on a BrahMos missile deal have also reached final stages.

However, the Tajikistan and Turkmenistan deal holds a different significance. This has helped India gain a foothold in Central Asia, as the region was previously a Russian arms buyer and for the past few years, China had been supplying weapons there. Now, two major Central Asian countries have expressed confidence 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 also indicated that there is keen interest in it from some other countries as well.

Akash Air Defence System has proven its combat capability

• According to the Indian Defence Ministry, it can engage aerial 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 command guidance to lock onto targets.
• The Akash program has also been updated with new versions such as the Akash Prime and Akash-NG, which include improved sensors and other improvements. Armenia already 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 customer 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 also said that the presence of Indian military hardware near China's western border would not be a good thing for Beijing, especially 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 ability to sell arms. While data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) shows that the Kremlin remains the main supplier of arms to Central Asia, countries are increasingly turning to other options. China is also rapidly gaining ground, especially in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. According to

The institute's data, Kazakhstan will purchase 11 percent of Russia's total arms 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 arms and turning to new suppliers such as India and France.