Strategic defense procurement and force posture goals face significant operational hurdles as physical infrastructure limitations complicate the deployment of advanced missile defense platforms across the archipelago.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the Philippines is planning to acquire from India additional BrahMos shore-based anti-ship missile systems which are critical in territorial defense operations.
Addressing the 3rd edition of the Delhi Defense Dialogue via video teleconference on Wednesday, Teodoro thanked India for giving the Philippines the opportunity to become the first foreign country to acquire the platform.
The defense department signed a P18.9 billion contract in January 2022 for the procurement of three BrahMos batteries.
The delivery of the BrahMos, which are vital assets in protecting the Philippine territory and interests, had already been completed and already assigned with the Philippine Marines.
Teodoro said India’s decision to give the Philippines such an anti-ship missile capability was a “seal of good housekeeping.”
Teodoro also said India made “a determination that the country is responsible and that the country would use it only for defensive purposes and not for any purpose contrary to international law.”
“That being said, we hope to increase the number of BrahMos units we have,” Teodoro also said, without saying how many units the defense department intends to acquire.
“We have shared also a wish list on the BrahMos to the Indian authorities in order to make it more tailor-fitted for the Philippine environment,” Teodoro also said.
He noted that Philippine roads and bridges are less durable than those in India.
“We don’t have any rolling stock or any active railroad, and it is also a challenge to transport it between and amongst, let’s say, about one to two thousand out of the 7,600 islands when you need it,” Teodoro added.
The defense chief also said the Philippines is looking into a possible partnership with India in the field of space technology, on the “special request” of Indian officials.
“The President of the Philippines committed into cooperating into space technology, and we can offer synergies and potentials for cooperation with the Philippines Space Agency in that end,” Teodoro also said.
Teodoro noted that the Philippines has “space expertise and people who are educated in that field.”
“We also can offer an area for testing space technology, whether this be for satellites and so forth and so on,” the defense chief also added.