India in final-stage talks to expand BrahMos missile sale to Philippines, sources say — SkimNews
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- India is in final-stage talks with the Philippines over about five BrahMos systems and nearly 60 missiles, a package two Indian sources put at US$700 million to US$800 million; New Delhi's defence and foreign ministries and BrahMos Aerospace did not respond to requests for comment.
- Gilberto Teodoro told the Delhi Defence Dialogue on Nov 4 that the Philippines hopes to secure more BrahMos units and has shared a wish list with Indian authorities to tailor the system to the Philippine environment.
- Ferdinand Marcos Jr has expressed his desire to acquire additional BrahMos missiles, defence ministry spokesperson Arsenio Andolong said, without offering further details.
- The Philippines is modernising its military and strengthening coastal defences as tension with Beijing escalates over overlapping South China Sea claims, with the two countries clashing in recent years.
- BrahMos, developed jointly by India and Russia, is among the world's fastest cruise missiles, can be launched from land, sea and air, and drew renewed interest after India used it in battle for the first time during the four-day conflict with Pakistan in 2025.
- India has widened its export drive, supplying BrahMos to Indonesia in July, signing a deal with Vietnam and holding talks with the UAE, Thailand, South Africa and Brazil; defence exports for the fiscal year to March reached 384.24 billion rupees, up more than 62% year on year.
Why it matters: The proposed US$700 million to US$800 million package is roughly double the US$375 million 2022 naval order, adding to an export book that reached 384.24 billion rupees, up more than 62% in the fiscal year to March. Manila's wish list for locally tailored systems takes the relationship beyond the naval units bought in 2022.
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