India finally bags a $375 million deal for exporting BrahMos supersonic missile to the Philippines
Akankshya MUKHERJEE – Mumbai Uncensored, 15th January 2022:
The Philippines confirms on Friday that they will be acquiring 3 Batteries of the BrahMos cruise missile, which was developed both by Russia and India. The deal is worth a $375 Million, it is viewed as a development which can boost India’s efforts to becoming a major exporter of Defence Hardware. The Philippine Defence secretary Mr Delfin Lorenzana has recently signed the “Notice of Award” which is the acceptance of this proposal for supplying this missile. It will be supplied for the Philippine Navy’s shore based anti-ship missile acquisition project.
The Government of India has negotiated to the delivery of 3 batteries, training for operators, maintainers and necessary Integrated Logistics Support package as mentioned in Mr Delfin Lorenzana’s Facebook post. The BrahMos dela was conceptualized as of 2017, the Philippine President’s office approved in the Horizon 2 Priority Projects in 2020 for inclusion. This is the first ever contract to export a 290km range BrahMos missiles, such a deal will also lead a way for more such deals from other ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) members such as Vietnam and Indonesia.
This deal also saw a strategical backdrop of China’s expansionism and strong arm-tactics with other nations in the South China Sea. This contract is for the Navy for the purpose of coastal defence, another contract expected can be for their military and similar talks continue for exporting BrahMos missiles to Indonesia is at an advanced stage.
Other countries have also shown their interest in acquiring the BrahMos Missile, it can be viewed on emerging as the precision strike weapon of choice. Countries such as UAE, Saudi Arabia and South Africa have shown their interests. India plans to sell the indigenously developed, Akash Missile systems which can interpret helicopters, drones, subsonic cruise missile and hostile aircrafts at the range of 25km to countries such as Kenya, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, and Algeria. The BrahMos missile have been deployed in eastern Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh during an on-going military confrontation with China, its being extended from 290km originally to 350/400km.
The Indian armed forces have placed orders of Rs.36000 crore for the BrahMos missile over years, the Army has 4 BrahMos regiments as of now and another one has been added. The Navy on the other hand has equipped 11 of its frontline warships, which includes destroyer INS Vishakhapatnam with the BrahMos vertical launch systems. THE IAF includes 2 land-based BrahMos squadrons, with a sleeker air launched version which progressively fits on the Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets.
One of the potential areas to use BrahMos by the Philippines is South China Sea. The Permanent Act of Arbitration in Hague ruled that specific portion of the south China Sea has been claimed by China and Philippines which belonged to Philippines alone in 2016. China rejects this and continues to send their vessels into the disputed water. Former Indian Navy Chief, Admiral Arun Prakash says it was a long- delayed decision, this can alter the Indo-China strategic equation. By such deals India is helping to bolster their security and also give China a taste of their medicine. We are awaiting such confirmations form Vietnam and Indonesia.
