The Philippines is increasingly turning its strategic focus toward Indian underwater drone technology as part of a broader shift in its defence procurement and maritime security strategy. This development comes amid escalating regional tensions in the South China Sea and the Philippines' ongoing efforts to modernise and diversify its military capabilities beyond traditional platforms like submarines.

Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has publicly indicated a growing interest in alternative, cost-effective options to conventional submarines, and Indian underwater drones have emerged as a notable candidate.

This interest is part of a larger strategic rapprochement between New Delhi and Manila, aimed at deepening bilateral defence ties that encompass a range of systems including missile technology, unmanned aerial and maritime vehicles, and naval platforms.

India's defence industry has been advancing rapidly in the underwater drone domain, offering autonomous and semi-autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) capable of a range of missions such as reconnaissance, mine countermeasures, surveillance, and underwater threat neutralisation. These platforms provide highly strategic asymmetric capabilities that can compensate for the Philippine Navy's current lack of a substantial submarine fleet.

The appeal of Indian underwater drones to Manila lies in their ability to offer persistent underwater surveillance, intelligence gathering, and area denial in contested maritime 3ones without the high acquisition and operational costs of traditional diesel-electric or nuclear-powered submarines.

Indian underwater drones also align with the Philippines’ need to project maritime presence and monitor vast exclusive economic zones in the face of assertive Chinese naval activities.

This pivot fits into the Philippines’ broader defence modernisation programs, which include expanding its inventory of Indian-supplied BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and enhancing interoperability with Indian naval forces through joint maritime patrols.

The defence secretary’s statements reflect a pragmatic approach to boosting underwater warfare capabilities by leveraging cutting-edge unmanned platforms that can be rapidly integrated and operated with existing naval assets.

Furthermore, acquiring Indian underwater drone technology is expected to foster technology transfer, joint development, and potential co-production agreements, thereby supporting Manila’s aspirations to build indigenous capabilities progressively.

This approach will also consolidate the strategic partnership between India and the Philippines, contributing to regional security architectures aimed at countering destabilising activities in the Indo-Pacific.

In conclusion, the consideration by the Philippines to acquire Indian underwater drones symbolises a significant shift towards embracing unmanned maritime defence technologies as viable alternatives to traditional submarines.

It highlights the evolving nature of naval warfare and the increasing importance of underwater drones in power projection, surveillance, and asymmetric deterrence within Southeast Asia’s contested maritime domains. This development underlines the continuity and growth of India-Philippines defence cooperation and reflects Manila’s adaptive strategy to enhance its maritime security posture cost-effectively amid regional geopolitical challenges.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)