SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
In what could mark another significant milestone in the growing defence partnership between India and the Philippines, both nations are reportedly close to concluding a deal for the sale of the Akash 1S surface-to-air missile system to the Philippine Marine Corps. This will be the second major defence export from India to the Southeast Asian country after the landmark sale of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system in 2022.
According to reliable sources cited by idrw.org, negotiations over pricing and technical terms are progressing positively, and an official announcement regarding the deal is expected in the near future. The acquisition will significantly boost the Philippines’ air defence capabilities amid rising regional tensions in the South China Sea.
India and the Philippines have been steadily deepening their strategic and military cooperation, with a shared interest in maintaining regional stability and safeguarding maritime interests. The prospective Akash 1S deal comes on the heels of the $375 million BrahMos missile sale—India’s first major defence export of a missile system—which was hailed as a breakthrough in India’s ambitions to become a significant global defence exporter.
The Akash 1S procurement is likely to further cement bilateral defence ties and reflects Manila’s increasing confidence in Indian defence technology.
The Akash 1S is an upgraded variant of India’s proven Akash surface-to-air missile (SAM) system. Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), the Akash 1S features improved accuracy with the integration of an indigenous seeker, enhancing its ability to intercept fast-moving aerial threats such as aircraft, cruise missiles, and drones at ranges up to 30 km.
Designed to operate in complex electronic warfare environments, the system offers 360-degree coverage and can simultaneously engage multiple targets, making it ideal for deployment along sensitive maritime and littoral zones like those in the Philippines.
For the Philippine Marine Corps, the Akash 1S system would provide a much-needed mobile, quick-reaction air defence capability, crucial for protecting coastal and island assets, particularly amid concerns over regional assertiveness by China.
The Akash 1S deal, once concluded, will mark the second major export order from India to the Philippines after the BrahMos. The BrahMos sale to the Philippine Marine Corps was seen as a signal of India’s readiness to play a bigger role in the Indo-Pacific security architecture, and the Akash deal is expected to build on that momentum.
India’s push to export the Akash system received a boost in 2021 when the Indian government cleared its export for friendly countries, and since then, several Southeast Asian and African nations have expressed interest.
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