India is set to begin delivering BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to the Philippines, marking the first export order for this missile system jointly developed by India and Russia. The deal, worth nearly $375 million, was signed two years ago and involves equipping the Philippine Marines with three batteries of BrahMos missiles. The ground systems will reach the Philippines within 10 days, and the missiles will be delivered by March 2024.
This missile export deal is part of India’s broader efforts to boost its defense exports, with a target of achieving exports worth almost $4.3 billion by 2024-25.
In November 2022, Indian firm Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited secured an export order worth $155.5 million for supplying artillery guns to Armenia, marking the first such order for a locally manufactured 155mm weapon system.
India’s defense exports have grown significantly in recent years, increasing 23 times between 2013-14 and 2022-23, from about $200 million to $2 billion. At the same time, India’s imports of weapons and systems have declined, dropping from 46% of total defense expenditure in 2018-19 to 36.7% in December 2022.
Currently, India exports military hardware to over 85 countries, with around 100 Indian firms involved. The exported products include missiles, artillery guns, rockets, armored vehicles, offshore patrol vessels, personal protective gear, radars, surveillance systems, and ammunition. India is exporting bullet-proof jackets to 34 countries, ammunition to around 10 countries, fast interceptor boats to Mauritius, Seychelles, and the Maldives, and defense electronics to countries such as the U.S., UK, and France.
To boost self-reliance in defense manufacturing, India has taken several measures in the past five to six years, including imposing phased bans on weapons imports, creating a separate budget for locally made military hardware, increasing foreign direct investment limits, and improving ease of doing business. The government aims to achieve a turnover of $21.5 billion in defense manufacturing by 2025.
In October 2023, the defense ministry imposed an import ban on 98 additional weapons and systems, taking the total number of items under import restrictions to 509 over the past three years. These measures are aimed at promoting in-house production and reducing dependence on imports in the defense sector.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
