ASEAN acknowledges Indian dominance; nightmare news for China

NEW DELHI: India’s ingeniously prepared BrahMos missiles can easily be a bulwark on both land and sea. BrahMos is among the few names feared by cantankerous neighbors China. And now, adding more worries to the communist country, the ASEAN countries are moving ahead with deals to own India’s touted BrahMos. ASEAN countries are perenially mired in threats from China, ergo the decision to reach out to India rather than leaning on vulnerable allies, the USA. The Galwan skirmish and the ensuing cold relationship between the two countries might have forced the ASEAN to rely on India rather than pleading alms from the West.

Vietnam is expected to place an order between three to five units of BrahMos missiles. And with each battery, consisting of multiple missiles, projected to be priced at approximately $125 million, the potential deal could range between $375 million and $625 million - depending on the number of units Vietnam intends to acquire.

The Philippines has already inked a deal to buy three BrahMos missiles from India. The deal was rounded to nearly $375 million. The missiles, known for their versatility, precision, and supersonic speed, have gained a reputation as one of the most advanced anti-ship and land-attack missiles in the world.