Philippines Ambassador to India Josel F Ignacio said the BrahMos deal has not only strengthened the Philippines' defence capabilities but has also changed the way Manila views India as a defence partner. "What the BrahMos project did is to raise the profile of India before the Philippines defence and military establishment as a credible and reliable source of quality defence equipment," he said. On the South China Sea, Ignacio said the Philippines continues to attach importance to India's support for the 2016 arbitral award in the South China Sea arbitration case. Nunes said maritime security, especially in the South China Sea, remains among the major challenges for the region. (ANI)(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe.