Having activated the first anti-ship cruise missile battalion earlier this month, Filipino military personnel would start arriving in India from July-August onwards to receive training on operating the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system for which they signed a contract worth over USD 375 million in January.

Government officials told ANI that presently, Indo-Russian joint venture company BrahMos Aerospace is helping the Philippines military in setting up the bases for the anti-ship missile system.

The first set of BrahMos missile system is expected to reach Manila in around the next 18 months. Their military personnel would start arriving in India for training on the missile system by July-August timeframe this year, the officials said.

After activating their first BrahMos missile battalion, the Philippines Marine Corps stated that it will be operating one of the best antiship missile systems on the planet which can quickly detect, track, chase and destroy targets, media reports from the Philippines said.

BrahMos Aerospace would impart training to the Philippines marine corps personnel in Delhi and Hyderabad where they have main production and training centres.

The deal with the Philippines for the BrahMos missiles is the biggest ever export contract signed by India with any foreign country and is expected to open doors for many doors in southeast Asia.

The contract includes training of the firing and maintenance crew for the missiles. The missile system will be delivered to the Philippines within the stipulated timeframe.

BrahMos Aerospace and DRDO have been working towards enhancing the capabilities of the BrahMos missile inducted already in the three services and its range has been extended successfully.

The missile was at the centre of a controversy recently when it got accidentally fired during a routine inspection from a missile base in western India and landed in Pakistan without causing any significant damage.

After the incident, the Philippines and some other countries had sought clarification on the issue. The Indian officials from Delhi had communicated the reasons for the incident and they understood the matter completely, officials said.

The issue is over for all sides and now the Philippines military is preparing for its future with the BrahMos missile system.

(With Inputs from ANI)

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