Home Asia Pacific Philippines inks $375M deal for BrahMos cruise missile buy from India

Philippines inks $375M deal for BrahMos cruise missile buy from India

Brahmos
Photo: BAPL

The Philippines’s defense ministry and India’s BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited (BAPL) signed the official contract for the purchase of BrahMos cruise missiles on January 28.

The $375 million agreement represents one of the first major defense exports for India. What is more, Philippines is becoming the first export customer for the shore-based anti-ship missile system.

“The BAPL is a joint venture company of the Defence Research and Development Organisation. The contract is an important step forward for Government of India’s policy of promoting responsible defense exports,” an Indian government announcement from Friday said.

Philippines has been looking to acquire the “world’s fastest supersonic cruise missile” since at least 2016, according to reports. Developed in cooperation with Russia and based on the Russian P-800 Oniks cruise missile, BrahMos is in service with all three branches of Indian Armed Forces. Indian reports say other countries in the region, such as Vietnam and Thailand, have expressed interest in the missile system.

The contract signing on January 28 followed the approval of the Philippine government, which announced on December 31, 2021, that India’s proposal for the missile system at a price of $374,962,800 had been accepted.