The Philippines has signed a contract with India's BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd for an 18.9 billion-peso (US$369 million) shore-based anti-ship missile system, boosting defence ties between the two nations locked in separate territorial disputes with China.
The deal involves the acquisition of "the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missiles," Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in a statement.
It will help deter attempts to undermine Philippine sovereign rights, especially in the South China Sea, he said.
The Southeast Asian nation has been moving to modernise its military as it contends with China's presence in disputed waters.
Last month, it bought two warships from South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries Co Ltd.
