New York: The Philippines has finalized a deal to acquire a shore-based anti-ship missile system from India for nearly $375 million to beef up its navy, the Southeast Asian nation’s defense minister said.
The Philippines is in the late stages of a five-year, 300 billion pesos ($5.85 billion) project to modernize its military’s outdated hardware that includes warships from World War Two and helicopters used by the United States in the Vietnam War.
Under the deal negotiated with the government of India, Brahmos Aerospace Private Ltd will deliver three batteries, train operators and maintainers, and provide logistics support, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in a Facebook post.
It was conceptualized in 2017 but faced delays in budget allocation due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The new anti-ship system aims to deter foreign vessels from encroaching on the country’s 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone. In recent years the Philippines has repeatedly accused China of violating its EEZ by sending hundreds of militia boats into its waters.
In 2018, the Philippines bought Israeli-made Spike ER missiles, its first-ever ship-borne missile systems for maritime deterrence.
