According to General Romeo Brawner Jr., Chief of the Philippine Army, the Philippines intends to enhance its defence alliance with India by acquiring new military equipment. The declaration comes ahead of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s five-day official visit to India.
The island nation had made headlines in 2022 for becoming the first foreign buyer of the BrahMos missile system, following a $375 million arrangement with the Indo-Russian joint venture. Each BrahMos battery is made up of several missile launchers, command units, and support equipment that can be deployed on land, sea, or air.
General Brawner told the Philippines News Agency (PNA) that additional defence procurements from India are in the works, but he declined to provide specifics due to security concerns. He lauded Indian weapon systems for being both cost-effective and high-quality, making India a reliable defence partner.
The first BrahMos batteries were delivered to the Philippines in April 2024.
During his visit, President Marcos is set to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss defence, trade, maritime security, agriculture, and technology.
Coinciding with Marcos’ departure, Indian Navy ships INS Mysore, INS Kiltan, and INS Shakti arrived in Manila as part of an operational deployment.
