India expects to sell short-range missiles, Akash, to the Philippines this year in a deal worth over $200 million. This marks New Delhi’s second major defense export contract with Manila, amid rising tensions with China.
The Akash surface-to-air missile system, with a range of up to 25 km (16 miles), was previously exported to Armenia in a $230-million deal last year. Bharat Dynamics Ltd, the manufacturer of the missiles, was one of the exhibitors at the Asian Defense and Security Exhibition in Manila.
The expected deal follows India's $375-million sale of the mid-range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile to the Philippines in 2022.
While India remains the world's largest arms importer, it is increasingly focusing on domestic production and defense exports to counter China’s military expansion and influence in the region, especially after the Himalayan border clashes in 2020.
India’s defense exports, including arms and ammunition, have surged nearly 150% since 2020, exceeding $2.40 billion in the fiscal year that ended in March 2024. However, its arms exports remain lower than those of Australia and South Korea, and significantly behind China, the world’s fourth-largest arms exporter.