In a first, India delivers first batch of BrahMos missile system to Philippines

The Indian Air Force sent its American-origin C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft with the missiles to the Philippines to deliver the weapon system to the Philippines' Marine Corps.

The Philippines is taking delivery of the missile systems at a time when tensions between them and China have escalated owing to frequent clashes in the South China Sea. The three batteries of the BrahMos missile system will be deployed in the coastal areas of the Philippines to guard against any threat in the region.


The deal has been cleared with multiple approvals from partner nations in the program.

The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, a joint venture between the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russian Federation's NPO Mashinostroyeniya, is said to be one of the most successful missile programs in the world. Acknowledged as the foremost and swiftest precision-guided weapon on a global scale, BRAHMOS has played a pivotal role in enhancing India's deterrence capabilities.

The BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles fly at a speed of 2.8 Mach or almost three times the speed of sound. They can hit a target up to a range of 290 kilometres and can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or land platforms.

It is important to note that New Delhi has been looking at further expanding defence ties with the Philippines against the backdrop of growing global concerns over China's increasing military assertiveness in the South China Sea, a huge source of hydrocarbons.