The small country of Europe, Armenia, has now become India’s largest importer of arms, marking a significant change in defense relationships. Defense exports from India have shot up to a record high of about Rs 21,083 crore in the financial year 2023-24, showing an increase of 32.5% over the previous year. Increased defense ties are mainly because of the strategic shift Armenia has undertaken by shifting its traditional military supplies from Russia.
The Ministry of Finance of India recently stated that Armenia has surpassed the rest of the importers and emerged as the highest importer of Indian weapons in recent times, especially since it purchased the Pinaka multi-launch rocket systems and Akash anti-aircraft systems. Defense purchases from India were at a total of $600 million for Armenia at the beginning of the current financial year, 2024-25.
Traditionally, Armenia was receiving its weaponry needs from Russia. In 2011-2020, the latter provided 94% of the imported arms. Imports included such complex items as Iskander missile systems, Su-30SM fighter aircraft, and many air defense systems. For several decades, Russia constituted the backbone of military power for Armenia.
However, the country’s situation was drastically altered following the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict which occurred with Azerbaijan in 2020, during which Armenia was betrayed by Russia’s inability to do what was anticipated of her. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan openly lamented that arms for the war had failed to reach Armenia for the past two years, though not mentioning Russia. This turning point led Armenia to reassess its defense partnerships, and thus it began looking for other allies, and India turned out to be one of the key partners.
The formal defense cooperation between India and Armenia began in 2020, which eventually led to defense agreements worth $2 billion. Over time, this partnership has only grown stronger, given the continuous need for Armenia to acquire advanced weaponry because of the constant threats, especially from Azerbaijan.
Among the most important systems of weapons that Armenia acquired from India are:
Pinaka Multi-Launch Rocket System: This is the most impressive long-range and accurate weapon in the Pinaka system. The artillery system can significantly enhance Armenia’s firepower. This will be important because, with regions like Nagorno-Karabakh having mountainous terrain, these can serve as a game changer in terms of regional advantages.
Akash-1S Air Defense Missile System: According to reports, Bharat Dynamics Ltd has sold 15 systems of the Akash-1S air defense missile system to Armenia for $720 million. It would be its first sale of the air defense missile systems designed by the company to a foreign country. The system would soon reach Armenia and aid in boosting its ability to counter aerial threats posed by enemy fighter jets, guided missiles, and drones.
Dornier-228 Surveillance Aircraft Dornier-228 aircraft are added, so the reconnaissance and surveillance of Armenia would be upgraded, which means the control over airspace would improve significantly for better national security.
In addition to the above main systems, India has provided various necessary military equipment to Armenia. This includes anti-tank guided rockets, bullet-proof jackets, night-vision goggles, artillery and ammunition, small arms, and sophisticated weapon-locating radars. They together help bring about a very significant increase in the strength of Armenian defense.
Increasing defense ties of India with Armenia mark a new page in the military strategy of Armenia but also emphasize the growing presence of India in the global defense markets.
This relationship with India can serve as a model for other similar relationships as Armenia diversifies its defense partnerships. This change reflects the shift in the nature of international alliances and the significance of strategic partnerships in meeting the current security challenges.