India's BrahMos finds a fan in Philippines, gives 'credible deterrence' in South China Sea

The BrahMos missile system has given the Philippines a "credible deterrence" against China's expanding presence in the South China Sea, Philippines Ambassador to India Josel F. Ignacio said, calling India one of the country's leading "potential providers" for future defence acquisitions.

Ignacio said the BrahMos acquisition marked a major milestone and one of the defining moments in defence cooperation between India and the Philippines.

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"The BrahMos was a very good opening, and it's an important high point. I have to say that the expansion of our defence relationship with India started over, even over, a decade ago when we signed the defence equipment, the defence cooperation agreement. But certainly the defence equipment cooperation blossomed more recently in recent years, and the BrahMos is the high example of that," Ignacio said.

What is BrahMos and how it helps?

Developed jointly by India and Russia, BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile capable of being launched from land, sea, air and submarines. It can strike targets at speeds of nearly three times the speed of sound, making it one of the world's fastest operational cruise missiles. The system is designed to hit both land and maritime targets with high precision and has become one of India's flagship defence exports as New Delhi expands its military ties with friendly countries.

Also Read: The expanding map of India's arms exports

Ignacio said the BrahMos missile system has boosted Manila's ability to build credible deterrence.

"I think for some time now, what we have said about the BrahMos is that it's giving us credible deterrence. The Philippines' goal has always been defence-orientated, but also to build not just deterrence but credible deterrence. And the BrahMos gives us that with its speed, with its range," he said.

According to Ignacio, BrahMos provides the Philippines with anti-access and area-denial capability, forcing any potential aggressor to rethink its operational plans.

"From a purely operational perspective, in military terms perhaps, it bestows on the Philippines some measure of anti-access and area denial. And that kind of capability now also raises for any potential aggressor the costs of such actions. So it sort of reconfigures operational calculus when it comes to that kind of conflict," Ignacio said.

BrahMos deal and India's desi weapons

A landmark 2022 agreement forms the backbone of the India-Philippines BrahMos partnership, with the Philippines becoming the first foreign customer for the supersonic cruise missile in a deal valued at nearly $375 million. In April 2024, India had delivered the first batch of BrahMos missiles to the Philippines.

India's strengthening indigenous defence industry and capabilities along with the ability to deliver reliable equipment have made it an important partner in Manila's defence acquisition plans, Ignacio said. He also said Philippine defence officials are continuously looking for opportunities to get Indian capabilities and the Asian country's position has ramped up among Manila's defence partners.

"With India showing how its indigenous defence industry has just grown in capabilities, in the range of products, reliable goods that it can deliver. India has become one of the top-of-mind potential providers for the Philippines," he said.

"So when our defence establishment, when our military draws up its needs, its shopping list, among our traditional partners, now India has joined that rank of those partners. So routinely, we now receive officials from defence and the military to look at these capabilities and to look at possibilities for sourcing. So yes, India is now present in our minds when we look at our acquisition plans," he added.

Nonetheless, Ignacio said their defence stance is targeted at maintaining peace and safeguarding national security.

"We don't want to get there. The Philippines has always been a peace-loving country. We've always said that we're a friend to all, an enemy to none. But it goes without saying that every country must look to its own defences. And the BrahMos bestows on us that capability," he said.

(With ANI inputs)