Manila: India has long sought a foothold in the global arms market and its first major export of the BrahMos system to the Philippines marks its emergence as a defence exporter of an advanced missile technology, a report said on Saturday.

The move reflects India’s strategic interest in the Indo-Pacific region, strengthening defence ties with the ASEAN nations and contributing to a multipolar regional security framework — designed to check China’s hegemonic ambitions in the region.

“India appears to have been happy to supply the Philippines with its advanced missiles, at least in part because the likely target of those missiles will be China. In January 2022, India and the Philippines signed a contract for India to supply the Philippines with three shore-based anti-ship missile batteries

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