The Philippines has agreed to buy the BrahMos anti-ship missile system jointly developed by India and Russia worth $375 million, its Defense Secretary said on Friday, in a move seen as a response to China’s assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea. Philippines’ Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana released a document on Friday announcing Manila’s approval of a $375 million deal with the Indo-Russian defense corporation BrahMos Aerospace to acquire an anti-ship missile system. BrahMos Aerospace is a joint venture between India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia, which was established in 1998. “As head of procuring entity (HOPE), I recently signed the Notice of Award for the Philippine Navy shore-based anti-ship missile acquisition project,” Lorenzana said on Facebook. “Negotiated with the government of India, it includes the delivery of three batteries, training for operators and maintainers as well as the necessary Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) package,” …