The Philippines is looking to acquire more BrahMos missile systems from India and is seeking greater cooperation with New Delhi in the military use of outer space.
Philippines National Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro disclosed the plans while addressing the ‘Delhi Defence Dialogue’, hosted by the think tank Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) in New Delhi. Teodoro addressed the audience via video conference on Wednesday.
“We hope to increase the number of BrahMos units we have, and have shared a wish list on the BrahMos to the Indian authorities in order to make it more tailor-made for the Philippine environment,” Teodoro said.
He described the BrahMos as a “very capable weapon”.
Sources in India confirmed the development and indicated that the deal with the Philippines could be larger than the $375 million BrahMos deal India signed with the Southeast Asian country in 2022.
The BrahMos is a 300-km anti-ship missile produced under a joint venture between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya. The Philippines procured the missile from India under a USD 375 million deal in 2022, with deliveries scheduled to be completed this year.
BrahMos has found eager customers among a group of countries around the South China Sea, including Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. All three have opted for the coastal-launched anti-ship variant of the missile.
The BrahMos also has a variant that can be fired from a ship at a land target, but it has not been exported so far.
The Philippines and Vietnam are involved in an ongoing maritime territorial dispute with China in the hydrocarbon-rich South China Sea. Indonesia also has a small coastline along the same sea but is not part of the dispute.
Philippines seeks greater cooperation with India in space technology
The Philippines is also seeking greater cooperation with India in space technology. Teodoro cited a “special request”, saying Philippine President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr was committed to cooperation in the field.
“The President has instructed us to enter into an Armed Forces of the Philippines Satellite Acquisition Programme, for which, of course, India would be a very, very important potential partner,” Teodoro added.
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