A BrahMos missile. (Photo: IMDS/Public Domain)
New Delhi: India is set to export BrahMos missile systems to the Philippines, the Defence Research and Development Organization chairman, Dr Samir V Kamat, told reporters on Thursday. He said the export process is set to commence within the next 10 days, with the ground systems taking the lead. The first set of BrahMos missile systems is anticipated to reach the Philippines by the end of March.
This sale is part of a big defence export contract valued at $375 million, making it the largest such agreement India has ever entered with a foreign nation. The deal with the Philippines, signed in January 2022, focuses on the supply of the shore-based anti-ship variant of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. As India Sentinels had reported in February 2023, Philippine marines underwent successful training in India on how to use the BrahMos shore-based anti-ship missile system.
Manila and Beijing are engaged in a major maritime dispute over the South China Sea, where the latter is trying to muscle out other rivals in the region. India and the Philippines are allies and had recently conducted joint naval drills in a part of the disputed South China Sea, which Manila officially calls West Philippine Sea.
The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, a joint venture with Russia, continues to enhance India’s deterrence power, solidifying its position as a reliable player in international arms markets. This underscores the global demand for India’s advanced defence capabilities and establishes the country as a reliable partner in the international arms market.
Kamat expressed optimism about the future of defence exports, stating, “I am sure over the coming years exports are going to become a very important part of our portfolio.” He emphasized the growing role of exports in the defence sector, citing examples such as hull-mounted sonars, lightweight torpedoes, and radar systems that India has successfully exported to various countries.
India’s rising profile in global defence exports is further highlighted by the DRDO’s success in exports. Products developed by the organization have either been inducted into the defence system or received acceptance of necessity (AoN) from the defence ministry’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), which the defence minister heads. The total worth of these DRDO-developed products stands at approximately ₹4.94 lakh crores.
