2000 Crores Defence Deal with Armenia: Armenia, a landlocked West Asian Christian state has a long conflict with Muslim dominated Azerbaijan with regard to the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. With about 90% Muslim population, Azerbaijan effectively is an Islamic country. Considering this religious fault line, the two countries are constantly engaged in violent struggle and have fought various wars. Due to religious alignment, Turkey has traditionally supported Azerbaijan in any conflict. Although Russia was supposed to be helping Armenia but due certain geo-political realignment the country restricted its helping hands.
Turkey-Azerbaijan relations are defined in terms of one nation, and two states. Thus, in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh War, Turkey overwhelmingly supported Azerbaijan and ensured Azerbaijan’s victory. Not only Azerbaijan, but Turkey, in order to become the Global Khalifa of Muslim world, has vociferously supported Pakistan and has followed anti-India agenda. From ranting on Kashmir to providing logistical support to Islamists in the South Asia, Turkey has done great damage to India.
2000 Crores Defence Deal with Armenia
Considering the anti-India stand of Turkey and nation’s own defence export promotion policy, India has now signed Rs 2,000 crores weapons export deal with Armenia. According to reports, a government-to-government route was used to sign a number of contracts for the supply of arms and ammunition.
Quoting anonymous sources, the Economic Times reported that the order includes the first-ever export of the indigenous Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers, anti-tank rockets and a range of other ammunition.
Pinaka Multi-Barrel Rocket Launchers
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by indigenous private sector units, Pinaka is a multi-barrel rocket launcher developed for the Indian Army. Attached with a universally movable truck, each Pinaka battery contains six launchers, 12 rockets and the DIGICORE MET radar.
Made with 360-degree protection capabilities, each launcher can fire in a separate direction using a fire control computer system. The six launchers of a battery are connected via a command post and they can even operate independently.
Other Import Order from India
This is not the first time that Armenia is importing defence equipment from India. Last June, a defence delegation from Armenia visited India with a range of military equipment shopping lists. Although, the details of military hardware in a buyout are still to be revealed but reports suggest drone procurement was the agenda.
Further, in 2020, Armenians had concluded a defence deal of about USD 40 million worth of supply of indigenously built weapon-locating SWATHI radars. Ignoring Russia and Poland, Armenia chose India for the import of radar system. Developed by DRDO and produced by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL),SWATHI radars provide accurate information on enemy artillery firing positions and weapons up to 75 kilometres away.
A Nightmare for Turkey
After securing a Rs 2,000 crore defence deal with Armenia, India has given a tight slap to Turkey’s anti-India alignment. Turkey has made a complete anti-India architecture by invoking Muslim brotherhood idea. Openly cooperating with Pakistan, Turkey has constantly raised the Kashmir issue on various regional and multilateral platforms.
Continuing with the tradition, Turkish President Erdogan once again raised the Kashmir issue in the recently concluded United Nations General Assembly debate. Other than Pakistan, Turkey is arming Bangladesh through weapon export. Initially reluctant to recognise Bangladesh as a country, the two Islamic countries in recent times have increased their cooperation in defence and security areas.
In January this year, Bangladesh and Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding on various issues like security cooperation, counterterrorism, and countering drug trafficking. With about USD 60 million in weapon imports, Bangladesh is the fourth-largest defence partner of Turkey. Reports suggest that Turkey is supplying its popular Turkish Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) to Bangladesh.
Further, many Turkish institutions and organisations like the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, the Turkish Red Crescent, the Directorate of Religious Affairs, and other Turkish NGOs have been working in Bangladesh. Under the shadow of humanitarian assistance, they run rackets of Islamic radicalism.
These radical Islamist organisations are vehemently involved in pogrom of Hindus in Bangladesh. Religious conversions, sexual assault and coordinated attacks are the norms of these Turkese financed religious war. Not only in Bangaldesh, these radical Bangladeshis are now seeping in Indian territory with their indoctrinated minds. So, concerning these developments, India has begun making alliances with Turkey’s rivals.
Also Read: India takes out Armenia club to clobber Turkey
A Jackpot for India
This defence deal is also important from India’s self-reliant point of view. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India, with 11% of global imports, is the largest arms importer in the world. Absence of efficient local industries has made India a net importer of defence hardware. But, in consonance with Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy 2020, India, in recent times, has made significant jumps not only in production but also in export.
To enhance the foreign investment and increase the defence manufacturing in the country, the FDI limit in the Defence Sector has been increased to 74% through the automatic route and up to 100% through the government route. In accordance with the offset deal, a lot of foreign companies are establishing manufacturing units in the country.
Further, to expedite the export process, countries are being categorised to focus on the production of required defence equipment. The countries on priority lists are Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, UAE, the US, Egypt and other African countries.
Moreover, the recent talks to export made-in-India Tejas Light Combat Aircraft fighter jets to Malaysia and Egypt, BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to Vietnam and Philippines are the live result of India’s tedious effort to enhance the export base.
The Rs 2,000 crore export deal with Armenia is an extension of India’s long term export initiative. The deal will open the market of India’s defence goods in central Asia and give a huge boost to domestic industries. It is pertinent to understand that Russia was the traditional supplier of defence hardware to such Central Asian countries. But, due geopolitical overhaul, many buyers are running in search for alternate suppliers. American products being costly, India can fill the void left by Russia.
Consequently, the deal has hit two targets simultaneously. On one hand, India has given Turkey a taste of its own medicine. On the other hand, India has secured a good defence deal to enhance its export base.
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