India is in final-stage talks to expand its sale of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines, three sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters, as New Delhi nears completion of deliveries under the $375 million deal signed in 2022.

Source: Reuters

The Philippines is expected to buy about five BrahMos systems, nearly 60 missiles in total, in a deal potentially worth $700 million to $800 million — yaani roughly ₹6,500 crore to ₹7,500 crore — two of the Indian sources said. That would make the new order more than double the value of the first one.

"Manila has shown interest again to procure about 5 systems of the BrahMos and they now view India as a very reliable partner," one Indian source told Reuters.

Philippine defence ministry spokesperson Arsenio Andolong told Reuters that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr had expressed his desire to acquire additional BrahMos missiles, though he gave no further details.

Speaking virtually at the third Delhi Defence Dialogue on Wednesday, Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said the Philippines hoped to secure more BrahMos units and had shared a wish list with Indian authorities to make the system more tailored to the Philippine environment, the Philippine Chronicle reported.

Source: The Chronicle (Philippines)

Why Manila wants more missiles

The additional purchase comes as Manila modernises its military and strengthens its coastal defences while tensions escalate with Beijing over overlapping claims in the disputed South China Sea, where the two countries' vessels have clashed in recent years.

The BrahMos, developed jointly by India and Russia, is among the world's fastest cruise missiles and can be launched from land, sea and air platforms. The Philippines' first order, signed in January 2022 for three shore-based batteries, was India's first export sale of the system.

Interest in the BrahMos has increased since last year's four-day conflict between India and Pakistan, when India used the weapons system for the first time in battle, Reuters reported.

India's growing defence-export push

In July, Delhi announced the supply of BrahMos missiles to Indonesia and has also signed a deal with Vietnam. It is in talks on the system with a number of other countries including the UAE, Thailand, South Africa and Brazil.

India's defence exports for the fiscal year to March reached 384.24 billion rupees ($4.11 billion) — yaani about ₹38,424 crore — a jump of more than 62 per cent from the same period the year before, government data showed.

India's defence and foreign ministries, as well as missile maker BrahMos Aerospace, did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment, and the size and value of the expected Philippine order have not been officially announced by either government.

What happens next: if the talks conclude as the sources expect, a signed contract would add a second, larger BrahMos order to the Philippines' coastal-defence build-up — and deepen India's role as an arms supplier to Southeast Asian states facing China in the South China Sea.