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The Republic of the Philippines is actively considering the acquisition of India's domestically produced Akash-1S air defence system, a move aimed at significantly strengthening its national security infrastructure.
This interest follows the system's notable combat performance in the recent India-Pakistan conflict of May 2025, underscoring a growing defence relationship between Manila and New Delhi.
This potential procurement signals the Philippines' strategic effort to create a more robust air defence network to protect its vital military and national assets.
The interest, reported by the Philippine News Agency, comes as the nation seeks to counter evolving security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
The move would build upon the Philippines' 2022 agreement to purchase the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from India, with final deliveries for that system anticipated by the end of 2025.
The Akash-1S, an advanced medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, is developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It is designed to engage a wide variety of aerial threats, including fighter jets, drones, cruise missiles, and guided rockets.
The system features a range of up to 45 kilometres and can intercept targets at an altitude of 20 kilometres. Its effectiveness was reportedly demonstrated during "Operation Sindoor" in May 2025, when it successfully neutralised multiple advanced Pakistani assets, including the Fatah-1 guided artillery rocket.
A key event highlighting the system's capabilities occurred on May 10, 2025, when an Indian Akash-1S unit intercepted a Pakistani Fatah-1 rocket. The Fatah-1 is a challenging target due to its high speed and low flight path.
The successful interception provided proof of the Akash-1S's ability to counter sophisticated guided weapons, a capability that elevates it above its predecessors and many comparable systems.
The Philippine Army currently operates the Israeli-made SPYDER air defence system.
While effective against aircraft and drones, the SPYDER has a shorter engagement range of up to 35 kilometres and a lower altitude ceiling of 9 kilometres. It is also considered less specialised for intercepting advanced threats like guided rockets or short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs).
The Akash-1S is seen as a more powerful and comprehensive solution to complement the existing SPYDER batteries.
During the May 2025 conflict, India's integrated air defence network, which combines the Akash, SPYDER, Barak-8, and S-400 systems, reportedly neutralised over 50 aerial threats.
This layered defence demonstrated the Akash-1S's ability to seamlessly integrate into a wider command and control structure, a crucial feature for the Philippines as it builds its own multi-layered defence shield.
The Indian system offers several distinct advantages for the Philippines.
As a dedicated surface-to-air platform, the Akash-1S travels at speeds exceeding Mach 3 and is equipped with an advanced active radio-frequency (RF) seeker for high precision against manoeuvring targets.
Its mobility on wheeled platforms allows for rapid redeployment, which is essential for defending the geographically dispersed islands of the Philippine archipelago.
With an estimated cost of $200 million per battery, the Akash-1S is positioned as a powerful and cost-effective option for Manila to enhance its deterrence and defence posture in a complex geopolitical environment.
