The Philippines have formally inked an 18.9 billion pesos ($370 million) contract with India for the acquisition of Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles, its defense ministry said in a statement on Friday. The 290-kilometer (180 miles) range Brahmos shore-based anti-ship missile system is produced by an Indo-Russian defense corporation BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between India and Russia established in 1998. The contract, under which three batteries of the shore-based anti-ship missiles will be delivered to the Philippines, was signed by the Philippines’ Defense Secretary, Delfin Lorenzana, and Brahmos Aerospace’s Director-General Atul Dinkar Rane. Indian Ambassador to the Philippines, Shambu Kumaran, was also present during the signing ceremony in Manila. India’s defense ministry said in a statement that the deal represents “an important step forward ” in the government’s strategy of promoting “responsible defense exports.” Lorenzana had said earlier that the Philippine Marines will be the primary user of the new …