Philippines Marines Train To Deter China's Adventurism In South China Sea With Indian-Made BrahMos Cruise Missiles

In what appears to be a signal to China, Philippines Marine soldiers completed training on the world’s fastest cruise missile — BrahMos, reported Naval News.

These twenty-one soldiers were awarded interim missile badges and pins by the Indian Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar in a valedictory ceremony for the Operator Training of the Shore Based Anti-Ship Missile System.

“The induction of the BrahMos missile into the Philippine Marine Corps will strengthen your maritime capability and will also contribute to our collective maritime security within the region…I sincerely hope that you’ll always cherish the bonds of friendship you had during your stay here,” the Admiral said in the valedictory ceremony. 

The training was primarily focused on the operations and maintenance of the logistics package of the BrahMos missile.

Earlier last year (January 2022), the Philippines government signed a deal worth $375 million with the Indian Government to buy BrahMos Supersonic Anti-Ship Missile Systems.

The BrahMos missile is a supersonic anti-ship cruise missile that travels at a maximum speed of 2.9 Mach or 2.9 times the speed of sound.

The Philippines BrahMos variant will be a Truck-Mounted Shore-based Anti-Ship Missile system (SBASMS). This is the first-ever export of BrahMos missiles for India and for the Philippines, a way to deter Chinese aggression in the South China Sea (SCS).

The Philippines for a long time is embroiled in tensions with China. China regards the South China Sea as its own backwaters and claims various reefs, shoals, and islands belonging to the Philippines as its own territory.

Just last week, the Philippines accused China of using a ‘military-grade’ laser to disrupt a re-supply operation to a disputed shoal in the South China Sea.

The BrahMos missile sale, the Philippines hopes will deter China’s aggression and intimidation in the South China Sea.

Various countries, on the other hand, have shown interest in acquiring BrahMos missiles. The countries include Vietnam, Indonesia, and even the UAE.

The Indian government hopes that the BrahMos missile exports will have a significant contribution in meeting its target of $5 billion defence export by 2025.