India is poised to deliver the third batch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines, reaffirming its commitment to timely execution of the landmark $375 million defence export contract signed in January 2022, reported TASS.

According to BrahMos Aerospace CEO and Managing Director Jaiteerth Joshi, preparations have been completed and the missiles are ready for dispatch, ensuring that Manila receives them within the stipulated schedule.

This consignment marks another milestone in the evolving India–Philippines defence partnership, with the Southeast Asian country having already received the first batch in April 2024 and the second in April 2025. The current delivery will further consolidate the Philippines’ maritime deterrence capabilities in response to growing security challenges in the South China Sea, where naval strength and missile-based denial capabilities are considered crucial for safeguarding territorial waters and strategic assets.

The BrahMos acquisition marked the Philippines as the first foreign customer of the Indo-Russian missile system, adding a new dimension to its military modernisation roadmap. The delivery schedule has so far been seamlessly executed, highlighting India’s reliability as a defence supplier and the credibility of its aerospace-industrial base to meet export demand without affecting domestic service requirements.

For Manila, the missile system offers a potent naval strike tool, capable of countering larger adversaries’ maritime fleets. The precision strike capability of the BrahMos—with a speed of Mach 2.8 to 3.0, a range exceeding 290 km in its initial export variant, and the ability to carry a 200–300 kg conventional warhead—provides the Armed Forces of the Philippines an option that was previously absent in its inventory.

The BrahMos itself is the product of BrahMos Aerospace, a joint Indo-Russian venture between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya, headquartered in Reutov.

First test-launched in 2001, the missile has rapidly evolved into a family of land, air, surface, and subsurface variants, now integrated across all three branches of India’s armed forces. The Indian Navy extensively equips its frontline destroyers and frigates with the missile, with the latest Visakhapatnam-class destroyer commissioned in November 2021 carrying 16 BrahMos launchers as part of its primary offensive payload.

The Indian Army has deployed land-based mobile BrahMos batteries along sensitive border axes, while the Indian Air Force operates an air-launched variant with the Su‑30MKI strike fighter fleet. This diversified usage underscores the missile’s adaptability and combat readiness.

The missile system derives its name from the Brahmaputra River in India and the Moskva River in Russia, symbolising the longstanding strategic partnership between the two countries. The BrahMos has consistently been highlighted by Indian leaders, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, as a weapon system that not only strengthens national security but also elevates India’s status in the global defence market.

Singh has noted that its export success demonstrates the country’s ability to supply sophisticated, high-end weaponry to international partners, thereby reinforcing its role as an emerging defence exporter in the Indo-Pacific region, where strategic demand for reliable deterrence systems remains substantial.

For the Philippines, the forthcoming third delivery represents more than just the fulfilment of a contract; it is a critical step in operationalising a credible shore-based anti-ship strike capability. With escalating pressure from maritime disputes, equipping the Philippine Marines with mobile BrahMos launchers ensures an ability to implement anti-access/area-denial strategies, complicating the operating calculus of any hostile naval presence.

The timely completion of all three consignments further cements India’s role as a long-term defence partner in Southeast Asia and strengthens the strategic triangle of India, Russia, and ASEAN nations in the broader Indo-Pacific defence architecture. The delivery thus holds significance not only for bilateral military relations but also for the balance of power in one of the world’s most contested maritime theatres.

TASS Report