A new phase in India's defense ties with the Philippines began last week when the Indian Air Force handed over the first batch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines. Manila had first expressed its interest in 2019, with a $375 million contract signed in 2022 for the supply of three batteries of the shore-based, anti-ship variant of the BrahMos to the Philippines by BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd, an Indo-Russian joint venture. company. In addition to two missile launchers, a radar and a command and control center, the pact includes an integrated logistics support package and training for those manning the systems.
This is a major boost for ties between Delhi and Manila. But the significance of this goes beyond the bilateral as India looks to strengthen its presence as a credible defense partner in Southeast Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific. Moreover, this also demonstrates the growing salience of India's domestic defense manufacturing base, which has come into its own as part of the broader 'Make in India' program launched by the Modi government.
The Philippines is building new partnerships
Under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Philippines is recalibrating its foreign policy priorities and moving away from the China-dominated vision of his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte. Faced with an aggressive China, Manila is trying to roll up its sleeves and build substantial new partnerships that could give the country ample room to maneuver. Manila is pursuing a multi-aligned foreign policy strategy that prioritizes strengthening and diversifying security and economic ties with both traditional and non-traditional allies. This approach aims to increase strategic options in a volatile regional and global geopolitical environment, especially in response to increasing pressure from Beijing in the West Philippine Sea. While the United States remains the most important security partner for the Philippines, it has now become imperative for Manila to broaden the scope of its external partnerships.
The Philippines underlines the acquisition of BrahMos cruise missiles as a “major game-changer” and sees them as essential in pushing back against Chinese expansionist claims in the West Philippine Sea by strengthening the country's coastal defenses. Delhi and Manila are also looking at each other beyond defense transactions. During his visit to Manila last month, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar said the region's prosperity is “best served by steadfast adherence to a rules-based order,” citing the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) of 1982 emphasized as a fundamental aspect of this approach. He said that “all parties must comply with this [UNCLOS] in its entirety, both in letter and spirit” and reiterated “India's support to the Philippines for upholding its national sovereignty”.
India's aim to expand its role in the Indo-Pacific region
In recent months, Manila has announced a new robust defense policy that strengthens defense ties with like-minded partners. Earlier this month, Manila, Washington and Tokyo announced joint exercises at their first-ever trilateral summit and there are plans to negotiate a new status of visiting forces agreement with New Zealand. A strong partnership with India will also be an important aspect of this new matrix for Manila's foreign policy, as New Delhi also seeks a greater role and voice in the broader Indo-Pacific.
India's role as a net security provider in the region is slowly but surely taking shape and India's defense stockpiles certainly enhance its credibility in this area. Many regional players are looking at alternatives to the dominance of China and the US in regional security calculus. India's naval presence and defense cooperation agreements extend its influence across the Indian Ocean and beyond. By participating in joint exercises, capacity building programs and humanitarian assistance missions, India reaffirms its commitment to promoting a secure and prosperous region in the Indo-Pacific region. New Delhi is an attractive partner given its history of defending strategic autonomy, but there have always been questions about its ability to deliver results. The BrahMos delivery is a major turning point in this regard.
There is another aspect of the BrahMos missiles that is quite interesting. This missile is also a statement about close defense ties between Delhi and Moscow – the result of a joint venture between India's Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Russia's NPO Mashinostroyeniya. And it has been sold to Manila, a close US ally, to contain the threat from China, an emerging strategic partner of Russia. New Delhi's unique role in contemporary geopolitics is reflected in this strange comparison.
Evolving defense priorities
The sale of BrahMos also highlights how India's defense exports have soared in recent years, supported by the government's 'Make in India' initiative, which aims to increase domestic defense production. By promoting indigenous capabilities and leveraging its growing defense industry, India aims to move from being the world's largest arms importer to a major player in the global defense market, while strengthening its national security and economic resilience.
As important as it is, this one sale of BrahMos will not solve Manila's defense challenges, nor will it dramatically change New Delhi's security profile in the region. But it highlights how India's defense priorities are rapidly evolving amid a broader regional flux.
[Harsh V. Pant is a Professor of International Relations at King’s College London. His most recent books include ‘India and the Gulf: Theoretical Perspectives and Policy Shifts’ (Cambridge University Press) and ‘Politics and Geopolitics: Decoding India’s Neighbourhood Challenge’ (Rupa)]
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
