India offers local defense production to Philippines

INDIA’S defense industry is pitching production lines in the Philippines as Manila boosts its military modernization.

Ashish Kansal, co-chairman of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s defense committee, said Indian manufacturers are ready to sell systems used by India’s armed forces and set up local production to meet Philippine demand.

“We are more than willing to set up actual production bases within the Philippines, so it has the right surge capacity to produce products for its own demand,” he told a defense expo in Makati City on Monday. “We are… giving not just the second best, but the best we give our armed forces.”

The move comes as the Philippines earmarks roughly $35 billion (P2 trillion) over the next decade for warships, missiles and other platforms, mainly sourced from South Korea, Israel and the US, to bolster deterrence amid tensions with China in the South China Sea.

“Modernization, however, cannot stop at acquisition,” Philippine Major General Ivan DR. Papera, chief of the military’s modernization office, told the event organized by the Indian Embassy in Manila. “Modernization must be sustained, and sustainment requires industrial partnership.”

Reading a statement from military chief General Romeo S. Brawner, Jr., he added: “Modernization without industrial capacity creates dependency.”

The remarks underline Manila’s push to strengthen its domestic defense industry under a 2024 law that encourages foreign suppliers to partner with local companies, building self-reliant capabilities with the help of trusted strategic partners.

Mr. Papera called India a “natural and strategic partner” in this effort, citing its experience in missile development, shipbuilding, aerospace, cyber systems and defense electronics.

Indian Ambassador to the Philippines Harsh Kumar Jain said India is ready to help Manila develop, produce and explore joint military projects to strengthen the country’s deterrence capabilities. He described the Philippines as a key pillar for a stable Indo-Pacific region.

“India stands ready as a reliable and steadfast strategic partner to work closely with the Philippines in building capacities, enhancing resilience and contributing to a secure and stable democracy,” he told the expo. He added that Indian defense manufacturers are increasingly seeking partnerships focused on co-development, co-production and technology transfer with trusted allies like the Philippines. 

The Philippines has already bought BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles from India. Three orders placed in 2022, worth $375 million, aiming to boost anti-ship capabilities in response to repeated confrontations with Chinese vessels in contested waters.

Despite a 2016 United Nations-backed ruling voiding Beijing’s claims, China asserts sovereignty over the energy-rich South China Sea.

Manila has accused Chinese ships of using water cannons and aggressive maneuvers to intimidate Philippine vessels.

China insists its operations in the South China Sea comply with international law. — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio