The BrahMos missile deal with the Philippines was one of the major milestones for India's defence manufacturing and export ecosystem, as it signalled India's emergence as a credible defence exporter.
Now, the operational credibility of India's defence exports will be showcased in a major international forum as Brahmos missiles will be part of an allied military exercise involving the US—Exercise Balikatan. The three-week-long exercise between the United States and the Philippines, which began on Monday, will see participation from more than 17,000 American and Filipino military personnel. It includes live-fire manoeuvres in locations including Philippine provinces facing the disputed South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.
According to the Philippine military, the exercise has expanded this year to include other militaries, including those from Japan, France and Canada, which have signed visiting forces agreements with Manila.
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During the exercise, the BrahMos missile system, considered the most powerful weapon in the Philippines' arsenal, will undergo simulated firing drills during the maritime strike phase of the war game.
"The BrahMos of the Coastal Defence Regiment of the Philippine Marines will participate during the Balikatan, but it will be only in a constructive environment. It will only (be) simulation firing during the joint maritime strike in Northern Luzon," Philippine News Agency quoted exercise director Maj. Gen. Francisco Lorenzo, as saying.
In the simulation firing drill, all sensors and fire-control systems of the missile will be fully activated as in real combat conditions, but without the actual launch of weapons.
According to the news agency, the BrahMos missile system is expected to help plug the Philippines military’s gaps in sea control, anti-access/area-denial capabilities, and coastal and island defence operations.
Although it is a mere simulated drill, the participation of the BrahMos missile system increases the credibility of India as an export power, as it shows the operational integration of the system within allied military frameworks.
China, meanwhile, has objected to the US–Philippine drills, claiming they are intended to curb its global rise. However, the Armed Forces of the Philippines has maintained that the exercise is not directed at any specific country and is also essential for preparing allied forces to respond to natural disasters.