Philippines in talks for $800m BrahMos missile deal with India

The Philippines wants nearly 60 more supersonic missiles from India, in a deal that could be worth up to $800 million.

Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr said Manila has asked India to supply more BrahMos cruise missile systems, and has also sent India a list of changes it wants, to make the weapons work better across the Philippines’ scattered islands. He spoke by video link at the third Delhi Defence Dialogue in New Delhi this week.

It’s a small story on the surface, but it fits a bigger pattern we’ve been tracking: countries across Asia and the Gulf building up their defences as regional tensions rise, from the Pakistan-Kuwait defence agreement to missile tensions playing out closer to home.

So what exactly is BrahMos, and why does the Philippines want more?

BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile. India and Russia built it together. It can be fired from land, ships or aircraft, and it’s mainly used for coastal defence and watching over the sea.

In January 2022, the Philippines signed its first deal with India for 3 BrahMos coastal defence batteries, worth about $375 million. That made the Philippines the first country outside India and Russia to buy the system. Reuters reports those deliveries are now almost finished.

Now Manila wants more. Teodoro said the Philippines has shared a “wish list” with Indian authorities, asking for the missile system to be better suited to Philippine conditions. The Philippines is made up of more than 7,600 islands, so moving heavy launch vehicles and equipment between them is hard. The changes Manila wants would help the military get missile units to the right locations faster and more easily.

Behind this request is a bigger picture: tension with China over the South China Sea. Several countries, including the Philippines, claim parts of these waters, and the disputes have caused friction for years. Teodoro said the new missiles would help the Philippines watch over and defend its coastal waters. He added that Manila intends to use the weapons only for defence, in line with international law.

How big is this deal really?

According to two Indian sources who spoke to Reuters on 5 November, the Philippines could get about 5 more BrahMos systems, adding up to nearly 60 missiles. The estimated value is between $700 million and $800 million, more than double the original 2022 deal.

That said, nothing is signed yet. Teodoro’s comments show Manila’s interest, but he stopped short of confirming a finished contract. Reuters says the two sides are in the final stages of negotiation, but both governments have kept quiet on the exact numbers and price so far.

Is this just about missiles?

No. At the same Delhi Defence Dialogue, Teodoro said the Philippines also wants to work more closely with India on space technology and satellites. He mentioned possible Indian involvement in the Philippine military’s satellite programme. The BrahMos talks are one part of a wider defence relationship the two countries are building.

The dialogue itself was organised by India’s Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. It covered defence reforms, new technology, military modernisation, and partnerships between countries, not just the missile deal.

What this means if you’re reading from Kuwait

This story doesn’t directly change anything for daily life in Kuwait. But it’s part of a wider shift happening across Asia and the Gulf, where governments are spending heavily on defence as regional tensions grow. We’ve covered similar moves closer to home, including Turkey and Pakistan sending troops to Saudi Arabia after repeated Houthi missile attacks, and rising US-Iran tension after the Qeshm Island missile strike.

For the large Filipino and Indian communities living and working in Kuwait, this kind of news often matters more personally. It’s a reminder that home countries are dealing with their own security concerns, even while so many of their citizens build their lives here.

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