The first missile battery was demonstrated during a ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the Philippine Marine Corps.
According to Militarnyi reporting, the Philippine Marine Corps has officially received its first battery of Indian-made supersonic BrahMos anti-ship missiles, marking a major milestone in Manila’s efforts to strengthen its coastal defense. The system was unveiled during a ceremony celebrating the Marine Corps’ 75th anniversary.
The first battery is stationed in Western Luzon under the Coastal Anti-Ship Missile Battalion of the Marine Corps Coastal Defense Regiment. Its strategic location gives the Philippines the capability to target Chinese vessels near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, an area of growing tension following Beijing’s declaration of the site as a national nature reserve.
The Philippines signed a $375 million deal with India in 2022 for three BrahMos batteries, with the first batch delivered in April 2024. Each battery includes two mobile launchers, a radar vehicle, a command unit, and a transport and reloading vehicle.
Beyond BrahMos, Manila is negotiating the purchase of India’s Akash short-range air defense system, which can intercept targets up to 30 kilometers away. The acquisition underscores the Philippines’ deepening defense partnership with India amid rising regional security challenges in the South China Sea.