On 28 January 2022, India signed a USD 375 million BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles deal with the Philippines. The deal was signed in the direction that this was the first time that a contract has been signed with any country to export the 290 Km range BrahMos missiles developed by India in collaboration with Russia. According to a report, the Philippines will get three batteries of a shore-based anti-ship system of non-nuclear BrahMos cruise system in addition to training & logistical support.
The deal has strategic significance in the context of balancing the power struggle in the Indo-Pacific region. As the BrahMos is jointly made by the Indian defence giant DRDO and a Russian state-owned company with 50.05% and 49.05% stakes respectively. The Russian stake in BrahMos manufacturing and China’s bonhomie with Russia make it difficult for the dragon to be outraged about the deal. Further, the Philippines’ decision to buy BrahMos is strategically a masterstroke as on one hand, it will provide the country with the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile system and on the other, it subtly got Russia in its corner.
Philippines’ defence ‘alliance’ with India
Antonio Morales, undersecretary in the foreign ministry of the Philippines updating about the BrahMos deal and defence cooperation with India said that the “purchase of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles is only the beginning of the partnership”. Speaking on the country’s modernization effort and India’s role in it he said that “the more & more talk could continue to further deals to strengthen the modernization process”.
His statement reflects the position of the government to further expand the defence cooperation between India and the Philippines. The other cooperation and defence supply from India will include weapons like the Akash missile system, diesel-electric submarines, radar system, navy frigates, and most importantly made-in-India Tejas fighter jets which the Philippines had its eyes on. The Philippines’ defence cooperation with India is lined with its multi-layered strategy to counter the aggressive & expansionist behaviour of China in the south China Sea.
Read More: Vietnam, Philippines race to buy India’s BrahMos
Realignment against China
Big countries of the Indo-Pacific region like India, Japan, Australia, and the US have already made strong security and economic architecture in the form of the QUAD and Indo-pacific Economic Framework against China. Further, Vietnam is already buying navy ships from India and talks are going on to buy the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system.
Bullied by China and CCP’s constant attempt to undermine the sovereignty & territorial integrity in the South China Sea, the Philippines is trying to form some sort of strategic alliance with the world’s powerful countries. Although the overall security architecture of Pacific Ocean countries is guaranteed by the US, withdrawal from Afghanistan & reluctance to directly engage in military confrontation has forced these countries to choose alternate options.
Read More: How Brahmos missiles guard the long coastline of India and the waters around it
Good that China is noting all this. Brahmos is already targeting Chinese installations in Tibet. This is being publicised now to send on open signal to China about India’s preparedness to meet China’s threat. https://t.co/RMY1UkigFe
— Kanwal Sibal (@KanwalSibal) November 14, 2021
Philippines’ strategic decision to buy BrahMos made by the collaboration of India and Russia will give them room to play diplomatic manoeuvring. Further, BrahMos’s capacity to fly as low as 10 meters above sea level makes it stealthy and with the missile’s 3 Mach speed, capacity to carry a warhead weighing 200 to 300 kgs, quicker engagement & non-interception capacity provide a great deterrent against Chinese aggression.
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