India to sign $375 million deal to export BrahMos cruise missiles to Philippines today

In a major boost to the country’s defence growth, India and the Philippines will complete the signing of the USD 375 million deal for the sale of BrahMos supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles to the Philippines Navy on Friday. According to government officials, the top defence brass of the Philippines would be present on the occasion. India would be represented by its Ambassador while the major defence deal takes place.  

The Philippines had accepted BrahMos Aerospace's export-order proposal to provide supersonic cruise missiles for its navy earlier this month. The major deal worth was communicated to India through a Notice of Award by the Philippines Department of National Defence, signed by Secretary Delfinn Lorenzana. The order directed BrahMos Aerospace to provide the supply of the Shore-based Anti-ship Missile System within ten calendar days of receiving the order.

Philippines export order biggest to propel 'made-in-India' initiative

The deal with the Philippines comes under India's 'made-in-India' initiative for defence weapons. The said order would be the biggest for the country in the field after DRDO bagged orders from the Armenian government for weapons locating radars. Meanwhile, India is expected to receive more orders from "friendly nations" in the coming time as New Delhi entered the advanced stage of discussions.

The credibility of the missile has been enhanced after the incorporation of modern technologies and added range. As per reports, BrahMos Chief Atul Dinkar Rane has been invested in working to upgrade the indigenous content in the missile system and expand the production base.

India's BrahMos supersonic missile

A powerful and main weapon of combat, the BrahMos missile has been deployed on almost all surface platforms of the Indian Navy. The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile can cover a range of 290 km reaching the Mach 2.8 to 3 Mach speed. Meanwhile, the BrahMos- II Hypersonic cruise missile can be deployed to hit the target within a range of 450 – 600 km at Mach 7 velocity. The missile is currently under joint development by the DRDO and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyenia.

On January 20, India successfully test-fired the latest version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile off the coast of Odisha in Balasore. The missile was equipped with new technological developments which were successfully proven, as per defence sources. Developed by a joint venture of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia's rocket design bureau NPIOM, the supersonic cruise missile can be launched from a submarine.

Image: PTI