In a major defence export-related development, Indian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd has signed a whopping $374 million contract with the Filipino defence ministry, to supply undisclosed number of missiles to the Philippines' Navy.
Through the deal meant to boost defence ties between the two nations locked in separate territorial disputes with China, India got its first ever export order for shore-based anti-ship BrahMos missiles on Friday, according to NDTV.
BrahMos Aerospace, an India-Russia joint venture comprising India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, produces the supersonic cruise missile BrahMos that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft, or from land platforms.
India’s defence ministry, under which the DRDO works, termed the contract to be an important step forward for the country's policy of promoting responsible defence exports.
Meanwhile, Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in a statement that the deal involves the acquisition of "the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missiles.
“It will help deter attempts to undermine Philippine sovereign rights, especially in the South China Sea,” he said.
India has already deployed a sizable number of the Brahmos missiles and other key assets in several strategic locations along the Line of Actual Control with China in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh.
While the Philippines has become the first nation to which India will export the missile system, sources said that several other nations in Southeast Asia have expressed interest in buying it, including Vietnam and Thailand, reports The New Indian Express.
The deal with the Philippines is also significant, as like India, the country has seen its relationship with China sour, as Beijing has been making aggressive moves in the South China Sea.
Additionally, Philippine fishermen also have to face the Little Blue Men, as China’s maritime militia is called. India too has been involved in an over 21-month long standoff with China in eastern Ladakh, which remains unresolved.
Of the missile
BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile, which can reach a maximum speed of 2.8 mach, or 2.8 times the speed of sound.
It has a 300 km to 500 km range, and is a short-range, ramjet-powered, single warhead, supersonic anti-ship or land attack cruise missile. It can be launched from the ground, submarine, surface ships and fighter jets.
Recently, on January 11, India successfully test-fired the extended range sea-to-sea variant of the missile from the Navy’s INS Vishakhapatnam.
