India is all set to supply the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to the Philippines at a time when tensions with China are rising due to its aggressive posture along the Line of Actual Control, a report in the Hindustan Times says.

A deal for the sale of the cruise missile to Manila, which has been on the cards for a while now, will be signed next year during a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Rodrigo Duterte next year. The meeting between Modi and Duterte is likely to take place in February 2021.

If a deal is signed, the Philippines will become the first customer of the missile system developed as a joint venture between India and Russia.

The missile, which has a range of 290 kilometers, has already been inducted by the Indian Army, Navy and the Air Force in large numbers.

It’s developer, BrahMos Aerospace, has been working on increasing the level of indigenous content in the BrahMos missile. Over the last few months, the missile has been tested with an indigenous seeker to bring down its cost. At least three tests of the missile have been conducted over the last two months.

The company has also been working on extending the range of the missile. Extended range versions of the missile have also been tested.

Philippines is likely to get a version of the missile which has a range of around 500 km. The missiles will equip the Philippines Army’s first Land Based Missile System Battery, and has been selected after extensive trials.