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China-Philippines conflict: In a major concern for China, India is set to deliver the third consignment of BrahMos supersonic missiles to Philippines as India and the United States ramp up efforts to encircle China in the South China Sea. While India has a adopted a diplomatic approach to counter China in the strategic naval region, the US and its allies, including Japan, have relied on power-projection to push back Beijing.
Speaking to Russian media, Jaytirth Joshi, CEO and Managing Director of BrahMos Aerospace– an India-Russia joint venture that manufactures BrahMos missiles– said third batch of the supersonic cruise missiles will soon be delivered to the Philippines, but did not specify a delivery date.
Earlier, the Philippines had signed a deal of $375 million with India for three batteries of BrahMos missiles, the first batch was delivered last year, the second in April 2025, and now the third and final consignment will be delivered by the end of this year.
The Philippines Navy has inducted the first batch of BrahMos missiles into its fleet. The development comes at a time when the the US has begun the deployment of the Typhon and NMESIS systems in Japan.
The deployment of BrahMos supersonic missiles will significantly boost the offensive and defensive capabilities of the Philippines to deter China’s maritime threats in the South China Sea. Additionally, the Philippines Army is also mulling to purchase BrahMos batteries under its Horizon 3 military modernization program for land-based coastal defense, reports said,
The missiles will be deployed on the country’s maritime border by the Coastal Defense Regiment of the Philippines Marine Corps, they said.
Philippines Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has called it a “game-changer” even as China is considering the delivery of Indian BrahMos missile to the Philippines as a direct challenge.
The BrahMoS, jointly developed by India and Russia, is regarded as the fastest supersonic cruise missile in the world, capable of reaching speeds of up to approximately 2,900 kilometers per hour. The BrahMoS missile comes in land, sea and air variants, and can strike targets at a range of up to 290 kilometers, making it an effective and versatile offensive or defensive asset.
The BrahMos missile, dubbed India’s ‘Brahmastra’, showcased its destructive power during the recent India-Pakistan conflict as it devastated Pakistani military infrastructure, including key airbases, when Indian forces conducted Operation Sindoor in May this year. Pakistan’s radars and air defense systems, which are Chinese-made, failed to detect or neutralize BrahMos during Op Sindoor, raising doubts about China’s capabilities to track this advanced missile.
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