What’s New
Vietnam and the Philippines are nearing a $700 million deal for BrahMos cruise missiles, WION reported Sunday, at a time of maritime tensions with China.
Why It Matters
If finalized, Vietnam will become the second nation in the region after the Philippines to acquire the difficult-to-intercept supersonic missiles, which were jointly developed India and Russia and can be launched from the land, air and sea.
The Philippines, which received its first batch of BrahMos missiles earlier this year, described the acquisition as a “significant game changer.” The move drew condemnation from Beijing, which lays claim to most of the South China Sea. This puts China at odds with competing territorial claims from the Philippines, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian neighbors.
While Vietnam has pursued a less assertive approach toward its disputes with China than the administration of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Hanoi has issued multiple protests this year over Chinese actions in the Gulf of Tonkin and reported assaults on Vietnamese fishermen in the contested Paracel Islands.
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What To Know
Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Sandeep Arya and senior military officials attended the second Vietnam International Defense Expo last week, showcasing New Delhi’s strategic engagement in the region.
Meanwhile, the Philippines is seeking to purchase the U.S. Army’s Mid-Range Capability (MRC) missile system, known as “Typhon,” to strengthen its maritime defenses.
“It is planned to be acquired because we see its feasibility and functionality in our concept of archipelagic defense,” the Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Philippine Army chief Lieutenant-General Roy Galido as saying at a press conference.
A Typhon system has already been stationed on Luzon, the Philippines’ most populous island, since April.
While the U.S. and Manila emphasized the deployment is for training purposes, it sparked protests from Beijing. Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro responded by saying the system is aimed at “security risks, threats and challenges” rather than any specific country.
The Typhon system’s mobility and ability to engage both ground and air targets make it a valuable addition to the Philippines’ arsenal. It can be armed with munitions such as Tomahawk cruise missiles, whose 1,500-mile range would cover China’s militarized artificial islands in the South China Sea and much of its eastern coastline.
The U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, which dates back seven decades, has been repeatedly reaffirmed by President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, emphasizing that it extends to the entire South China Sea.
What People Are Saying
Collin Koh, senior fellow, Institute of Defense and Strategic Studies, on X, formerly Twitter: “Missiles galore in Southeast Asia: hot on the heels of reports of Philippines negotiations to acquire Typhon MRC from the U.S., Vietnam is close to finalizing a deal to acquire BrahMos from India.”
Mao Ning, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson: “By bringing in this strategic offensive weapon, the Philippines is enabling a country outside the region to fuel tensions and incite geopolitical confrontation… We urge the Philippines to correct its wrongdoings, pull out the Typhon missile system as publicly pledged, and stop going further down the wrong path.”
Newsweek reached out to the U.S. Department of Defense and Indian Defense Ministry by email with requests for response.
What Happens Next
The India-Vietnam missile deal could be finalized as soon as February, WION wrote, adding that Vietnam has already reviewed the commercial and technical aspects of the agreement with Indian defense officials.
