“The former Soviet Republic of Armenia has become the largest importer of weapons from India after concluding deals on the purchase of Pinaka multiple-launch rocket systems and Akash anti-aircraft systems," the Indian Finance Ministry said in a report cited by Russia’s TASS news agency on Tuesday.
Citing the Defense Ministry in New Delhi, the Indian Aerospace Defense News (IADN) publication reported, meanwhile, that the “total volume of weapons purchases by Armenia from India reached $600 million by the start of current [financial year] 2024-25.” It gave no details of those deals.
India and Armenia have significantly deepened bilateral military cooperation since the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh war during which India’s arch-foe Pakistan strongly supported Azerbaijan. Their multimillion-dollar defense contracts reportedly call for the delivery of not only Pinaka systems but also Indian-made howitzers, anti-tank rockets and anti-drone equipment to the Armenian army.
India - Anil Chauhan (left), chief of India's Defense Staff, meets his Armenian counterpart, Eduard Asrian, New Delhi, March 4, 2023.
An Indian defense publication reported last September that Armenia is due to receive a total of 90 ATAGS howitzers over the next three years. Six of them have already been delivered to the South Caucasus nations, it said.
In May this year, military officials from the two countries held in Yerevan what the Armenian Defense Ministry described as first Indian-Armenian “defense consultations.” They set up a “working group” tasked with implementing a plan of joint actions for 2024 and 2025. The military cooperation will involve not only arms supplies but also military education, “tactical training” and “experience sharing,” according to the ministry.ng into details.
Russia had long been Armenia’s principal supplier of weapons and ammunition. The Armenian government has been looking for alternative suppliers due to its growing tensions with Moscow and the continuing war in Ukraine that absorbs the bulk of military hardware manufactured in Russia. Since last October, Yerevan has also signed a number of arms deals with French companies.