For India, Philippines’ BrahMos missile order is a win as LAC border dispute with China continues
- New Delhi is also talking to Vietnam and Indonesia about buying the supersonic cruise missiles as part of its efforts to ramp up arms exports
- India sees stronger defence ties with Asean and South China Sea claimant states as sending a signal to Beijing
The Philippines has placed a US$375 million order with India for supersonic cruise missiles jointly developed with Russia, boosting Manila’s naval capabilities in the face of growing Chinese assertiveness in the region.
The deal is also seen as a breakthrough for Delhi, as it works to export arms to regional partners, while reducing its dependence on arms imports.
“A large part of the world cannot afford Western defence technology,” said Rajeev Bhatia, former Indian Ambassador and Distinguished Fellow, Foreign Studies Programme at the Gateway House think tank.
“Hence, India is looking to up its weapons production for its own needs but also to be able to supply to such nations,” Bhatia said.
BrahMos will help with such a strategy. Already, BrahMos Aerospace, the joint venture between the Indian government’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which has a 50.5 per cent stake, and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia, which serves the Russian military, has been focusing on upgrades to the missile.
