Philippines wants to point more BrahMos missiles at China

After a series of major maritime standoffs, the Philippines is in hot pursuit of more India-made BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to point at China in the contested South China Sea.

The Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) plans to bolster its coastal defenses with two additional batteries of the shore-based supersonic anti-ship missile by 2026, WION reported this month.

The PMC is already set to receive three BrahMos batteries, each comprising four launchers with three missiles capable of striking targets up to 290 kilometers away. The acquisition, the WION report notes, significantly enhances the Philippines’ ability to deter and counter maritime threats.

WION says the Philippines’ potential additional purchase would boost India’s defense exports and underscore the BrahMos missile’s marketability amid a gathering East Asian arms race.

The report adds that the Philippine Army (PA) might also consider procuring the missiles, potentially arming the Philippines for land and naval strikes.

WION touts the BrahMos missile’s high speed and long range, making it a formidable weapon against maritime threats and thus strengthening the Philippines’ coastal defense capabilities.

The report notes that the deepening defense relationship between the Philippines and India has occurred amid Manila’s clashes with China in the South China Sea and Delhi’s with China in the Himalayas.

It says delivering BrahMos missiles is crucial for the Philippines to counter China’s assertive actions in the South China Sea, providing a credible deterrent and defense capability to assert sovereignty and rights in the West Philippine Sea.

WION points out that India’s decision to export the BrahMos missile to the Philippines signifies a strategic shift,