Philippine Ambassador Josel F. Ignacio said India’s missile system is strengthening Manila’s territorial defence while opening the door to deeper defence-industrial cooperation with New Delhi
The Philippines has described its acquisition of India’s BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles as a major boost to its defence capabilities, saying the system provides “real credible deterrence” as Manila faces growing territorial and security challenges in the South China Sea.
According to a Wion report, Philippine Ambassador to India Josel F. Ignacio said the BrahMos deal has become an important component of Manila’s efforts to modernise its armed forces and strengthen its ability to defend its territory.
Speaking at the Observer Research Foundation’s “Diplomatic Diaries”, Ignacio said the Philippines was satisfied with the progress of its BrahMos programme and viewed the missile system as closely aligned with its defence requirements as an archipelagic nation.
“We are very pleased with how the BrahMos project with India is going. At this point, it bestows on us real credible deterrence, which is in sync with the kind of archipelagic defence we want to have,” he was quoted as saying.
The ambassador said the acquisition was particularly significant given the Philippines’ concerns over contested areas in the South China Sea, where Manila has faced persistent territorial disputes and growing security challenges.
“For us, the BrahMos acquisition supports the modernisation of our armed forces and bestows us with credible deterrence as we improve our territorial defence posture, especially amidst concerns like areas in the South China Sea.”
The Philippines was the first foreign customer to purchase the BrahMos missile system, jointly developed by India and Russia. The deal has since emerged as a key symbol of the growing defence relationship between New Delhi and Manila.
Ignacio said the agreement had also helped increase interest in India’s defence capabilities across Southeast Asia, with other countries in the region subsequently showing interest in the BrahMos system.
More importantly, he said, the deal had changed the Philippines’ perception of India as a potential defence supplier, elevating New Delhi’s position within Manila’s defence establishment.
“What the BrahMos project has done is raise the profile of India for the Philippines defence establishment as a credible, reliable source of quality defence equipment.”
Beyond BrahMos
The Philippines is also looking to expand its defence engagement with India beyond the purchase of military hardware, with Manila interested in exploring cooperation in defence manufacturing and indigenous capability development.
Ignacio said India’s experience in building a domestic defence industry could provide useful lessons for the Philippines as it seeks to strengthen its own industrial capabilities.
“We are not just talking about buying equipment from India, but going beyond that, perhaps cooperating with India, which has a robust indigenous defence sector, to have a similar one in the Philippines, going by the Indian experience.”
Defence cooperation has increasingly become a key component of the broader strategic partnership between the two countries. According to Ignacio, the BrahMos acquisition remains the most prominent example of that expanding relationship, but cooperation between the two sides extends to several other areas.
“This is an important pillar for the strategic partnership. The BrahMos purchased by the Philippines is the most visible example,” he said.
“It also marked a milestone in the emergence of India as a very trusted defence partner and exporter and source of defence equipment for the Philippines. Yet our defence cooperation extends well beyond just the BrahMos.”
The ambassador also indicated that Indian defence technologies are becoming increasingly relevant to the Philippines as Manila evaluates potential suppliers for future military requirements.
He said India’s indigenous weapons systems were gaining credibility because of their combination of performance and affordability.
“India is sort of higher on our horizon in our minds, when it comes to looking at possible sources for procurement of technologies. Indian technologies, indigenous missiles and weaponry, have proven their worth as reliable, and cost-effective.”
The comments come as India and the Philippines continue to deepen their strategic and defence ties, with the BrahMos programme serving as a key element of their expanding security partnership. For Manila, the missile system represents not only a major addition to its military capabilities but also a step towards building a more robust territorial defence posture amid evolving security challenges in the region.
With inputs from agencies
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