Brahmos missile is considered as one of the fastest supersonic missiles. Philippines army is acquiring Indian-manufactured weapon in order to strengthen its coastal defences. In 2018, Indian PM Modi signed 4 bilateral agreements during his visit to Philippines, and acquiring Brahmos is one among them.
Significance
- The acquisition proves that India’s Act East Policy is being strengthened.
- India’s bilateral relation with the South Asian Countries and also with Philippines has diversified
- It will also help achieve India’s defence exports target of Rs 35,000 crore in the next 5 years.
Brahmos missile
The Brahmos is a medium range cruise missile that can be launched from submarine, aircraft, ships and land. It is the fastest supersonic missile in the world. The design of the missile was a joint venture between Russian federation and India’s DRDO. The name of Brahmos is formed from the names of two rivers Brahmaputra in India and Moskva in Russia.
In 2016, India became a part of Missile Technology Control Regime after which India and Russia are now planning to develop a new generation of Brahmos missile with a target range of 500-km.