Philippines to acquire missile system from India for $375 mln

Manila, Jan. 15 (BNA) The Philippines has concluded a deal to purchase an anti-ship missile system from India for approximately $375 million to bolster its naval forces, the Southeast Asian country’s defense minister said.

According to Reuters, the Philippines is in the final stages of a five-year, 300 billion pesos ($5.85 billion) project to modernize outdated military equipment that includes World War II warships and helicopters the United States used in the Vietnam War.

Under the agreement negotiated with the Government of India, Brahmos Aerospace Pvt will deliver three batteries, train operators and maintenance, and provide logistical support, Defense Minister Delphine Lorenzana said in a Facebook post late Friday.

It was envisioned in 2017, but has faced budget allocation delays and due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The new anti-ship regime aims to deter foreign ships from encroaching on the country’s 200 nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

In 2018, the Philippines purchased the Israeli-made Spike ER missiles, the first ship-borne missile systems for naval deterrence.

Despite friendly relations between China and the Philippines under President Rodrigo Duterte, Beijing has remained adamant about claiming large parts of the South China Sea, a conduit for goods worth more than $3.4 trillion annually. Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam also made competing claims.

However, a 2016 international arbitration ruling said the Chinese allegations had no legal basis.

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