INDIA DELIVERS 1ST BRAHMOS’ BATCH TO PHILIPPINES

India on Friday delivered the first batch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and launchers to the Philippines, two years after the countries signed a deal worth almost $375 million to equip the Philippine Marines with three batteries of the missiles, officials aware of the matter said.

India flew the consignment to the south-east Asian country in an IAF C-17 transport aircraft, the officials added.

The January 2022 deal was seen as a shot in the arm for New Delhi’s efforts to emerge as an exporter of major defence hardware. This is the first export order for the BrahMos missile developed by BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between India and Russia. The deliveries to the Philippines were held up as the two nations hadn’t signed a non-disclosure agreement, HT has learnt.

BrahMos is the fastest cruise missile in the world with a speed of Mach 2.8, nearly three times the speed of sound. BrahMos variants can be launched from land, air and sea, and all three variants are in service in the Indian armed forces. The ones being exported to the Philippines can strike targets at 290 km, though India has also developed another variant with a range of almost 500 km. In February, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved the acquisition of more than 200 BrahMos missiles and associated systems that will be fitted on Indian warships, with the significant capability enhancement for the navy expected to cost around ₹19,000 crore. India has set a defence export target of ₹35,000 crore by 2024-25.