BrahMos agreement between India and Philippines will be a game-changer

Manila/New Delhi – An Asian analyst has claimed that the decision of the Philippines to purchase BrahMos missiles from India will prove to be a game-changer for India. Analyst Richard Heydarian said that this decision would open the gates for India for defence exports to the Asian countries. While the agreement between the two countries is being finalised, the Indian Minister of External Affairs will visit the Philippines next week. Against the background of the possible Chinese threat, India’s Filipino defence cooperation will attain significant strategic effects.

India has signed the agreement for supplying BrahMos supersonic missiles for the Philippines navy. But now, even the Philippines military wants these missiles from India. Reports are also being received that even Vietnam is interested in purchasing these missiles from India. Therefore, analyst Richard Heydarian has noted that a significant increase in the Indian defence cooperation and exports to the South East Asian countries is being indicated. He further expressed confidence that the cooperation with the Philippines would open the gates for Indian defence exports to the South East Asian countries.

Thus, this becomes a significant step in consideration of the Look East policy announced by India for increasing cooperation with the South East Asian countries. The QUAD organisation formed by India, the United States, Japan and Australia has adopted a policy of supporting the small South-East Asian countries against China. Analyst Richard Heyradian claimed that the supply of BrahMos missiles by India to the Philippines forms a part of the same policy. The hypersonic version of the BrahMos will be developed in the future. Heyradian predicted that there is a strong possibility that the Philippines will be interested in purchasing even that version. Heyradian has inferred that Vietnam and Indonesia will also take Indian assistance to increase their defence preparedness against China.

Heyradian claimed that if all this is taken into account, it points to the fact that the BrahMos agreement between India and the Philippines reflects a massive change in the Indian policy regarding the South East Asian countries. Heyradian indicated that this would increase the defence exports from India, and the Indian influence in the region will also increase in the same proportion.