Philippines Doubles Down On BrahMos: Why Manila Wants India's Missile Wall Blocking South China Sea

The Philippines wants more BrahMos. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has publicly confirmed Manila is pursuing additional systems after its first $375 million contract with India for three shore-based anti-ship missile batteries. Reports now point to an ambition of up to nine additional batteries as the Philippine military expands coastal defence across its vast archipelago. Why BrahMos? The supersonic missile gives Manila a mobile land-based weapon capable of threatening hostile ships hundreds of kilometres offshore while supporting an anti-access strategy against a much larger navy. With tensions continuing in the South China Sea, the strategic implications are obvious. This video examines Manila’s BrahMos expansion, why China will watch it closely, and how India’s first major missile export is evolving into something bigger: a long-term Indo-Pacific defence partnership.