This first contract to export 290-km-range BrahMos missiles, which is jointly developed with Russia, comes in the backdrop of a crucial China strong-arm strategy along with its neighbors such as the Philippines in the South China Sea. strategically important. A milestone in India’s quest to become a major arms exporter.
The contract, under which three missile batteries of the shore-based anti-ship variant will be delivered within two years, was signed by the Philippines’ National Defense Secretary Delphine Lorenzana and BrahMos Aerospace chief Atul de Rane.
Indian team of BrahMos Aerospace signs 375 million deal with Philippines
“Today is a decisive step for PM Modi’s SAGAR (Policy) and India’s Indo-Pacific engagement. We look forward to transforming the ties between our democracies into a strategic partnership and a vision for our shared objective of a free and peaceful Indo-Pacific. We are close to taking a step forward.” Indian Ambassador to the Philippines Shambhu Kumaran said.
In return, Lorenzana said that the world’s fastest cruise missile BrahMos would provide deterrence against any attempt to undermine her country’s sovereignty and rights, especially in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
While this is for contract Philippines NavyAlong with the requisite integrated logistics support package and training, India is also negotiating another major contract with the country’s military.
Similarly, talks for export of air-breathing BrahMos missiles, which fly at Mach 2.8 at nearly three times the speed of sound, to Indonesia are also at an advanced stage, as earlier reported by TOI. went.
range of BrahMos missiles, which have also been deployed in the eastern Ladakh And during the ongoing 20-month-long military confrontation with China in Arunachal Pradesh, the range is being increased from the original 290-km to 350-400-km.
The Indian armed forces have placed orders worth over Rs 36,000 crore for BrahMos missiles over the years, with trials now also in progress for an 800-km range version of the “precision-strike conventional (non-nuclear) weapon”.
Keeping an eye on China, India continues to strengthen military ties with ASEAN countries through maneuvers, exchanges, training programs and now increasingly arms supplies.
As India seeks to build a strong domestic defence-industrial base and become a major arms exporter, the government has set an ambitious annual export target of $5 billion (Rs 36,500 crore) by 2025.
The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and South Africa are among other countries that have shown interest in acquiring the BrahMos missile. India is also planning to sell indigenous Akash missile systems, which can intercept hostile aircraft, helicopters, drones and subsonic cruise missiles at a range of 25 km, to countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt. could. Kenya and Algeria.
As for India, the Army already has four BrahMos regiments, with the possibility of ordering more when the 800-km version becomes operational. In return, the Navy has equipped 11 of its frontline warships with BrahMos Vertical Launch System including the latest destroyer INS Visakhapatnam.
The IAF has also inducted two land-based BrahMos squadrons, with the slick air-launched version also being progressively fitted on Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets. With a combat range of about 1,500 km without air refueling, the BrahMos-equipped Sukhoi is a powerful package of long-range weapons.
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