India and Armenia have taken another step towards deepening their defence partnership, signing a new agreement on research, development, innovation and joint production as New Delhi increasingly emerges as a major defence supplier to the South Caucasus nation.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in Yerevan on Monday. This comes against the backdrop of nearly $2 billion worth of defence contracts signed between India and Armenia since 2020. It covers weapon-locating radars, air-defence systems, rocket artillery and counter-drone technologies.
For Armenia, the expanding relationship provides an avenue to diversify its defence supplies beyond traditional Russian sources. For India, Armenia has become an important overseas market for indigenous defence systems and a showcase for the country’s growing defence-export ambitions.
The latest agreement also signals a shift in the relationship: from simply buying Indian weapons to better cooperation in defence research, development, innovation and shared production.
India, Armenia widen defence industrial partnership
On August 17, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh met Armenian Minister of High Tech Industry Davit Tadevosyan in Yerevan, where the two sides signed the MoU. According to the Ministry of Defence, the agreement will facilitate cooperation in research, development, innovation and shared production in the defence industry.
The ministry said the agreement reaffirmed the two countries’ commitment to expanding bilateral defence industrial cooperation in areas of mutual interest. Singh also met Armenian Defence Minister Suren Papikyan to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral defence engagement. India’s Ambassador to Armenia Nilakshi Saha Sinha attended the meeting.
During the visit, Singh also held discussions with Armenia’s Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant General Edvard Asryan.
The Ministry of Defence said both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the defence partnership, with a renewed focus on defence industrial cooperation and defence research and development.
The visit followed an April meeting in New Delhi between Asryan and Singh, during which the two sides discussed bilateral defence cooperation. Asryan also held talks with Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh.
The $2 billion defence relationship
The latest agreement builds on a rapidly expanding defence relationship. Since 2020, India and Armenia have signed defence contracts worth nearly $2 billion, covering a wide range of military capabilities.
The partnership includes India’s Swathi weapon-locating radars, Akash air-defence systems, Pinaka rocket launchers and counter-drone technology, along with artillery systems.
The wide range of these purchases is significant. Rather than relying on India for a single category of equipment, Armenia has sourced systems covering the entire chain from detecting hostile fire and defending against aerial threats to conducting long-range strikes.
That has made Armenia one of the most important overseas customers for India’s indigenous defence industry.
Swathi gave India its early foothold
India’s defence relationship with Armenia gained momentum in 2020, when Yerevan signed a contract for four Swathi weapon-locating radars worth about $40 million. Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Swathi is designed to detect and track incoming artillery, mortar and rocket fire and identify their points of origin.
The system provides commanders with information required for counter-battery operations, allowing friendly artillery units to respond to hostile fire.
The Armenian contract represented an important early milestone for India’s efforts to establish itself as a defence exporter.
Akash takes the partnership to air defence
Armenia subsequently turned to India for a much larger air-defence capability. In 2022, Yerevan became the first foreign customer for India’s indigenously developed Akash air-defence system, with the order reported at around $720 million for 15 systems. The platform is manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).
The Akash-1S is designed to engage aerial threats including aircraft, guided missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles.
For Armenia, the system provides another layer of air defence as the country works to modernise its military and reduce its dependence on Russian-origin equipment. Armenia has also shown interest in additional Indian air-defence capabilities, including newer variants of the Akash family.
Pinaka adds long-range firepower
India’s Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher has become another major component of Armenia’s growing Indian-origin arsenal. Armenia signed a contract in 2022 for four Pinaka batteries, in a deal estimated at around Rs 2,000 crore.
The agreement includes launchers, command-and-control vehicles, logistics equipment and ammunition, including guided rockets.
The first batch of guided Pinaka rockets for Armenia was flagged off by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh from Nagpur in January 2026, while earlier deliveries of the system had already begun in 2023.
Pinaka gives Armenia a mobile rocket-artillery capability designed to deliver concentrated fire against targets at extended ranges. Its guided variants provide greater precision for long-range strikes.
The system also adds another layer to the capabilities provided by Swathi – with the radar detecting hostile artillery fire and Pinaka providing a long-range strike capability.
Counter-drone systems expand India’s footprint
India’s defence exports to Armenia have also expanded into counter-drone technology, as unmanned aerial systems become an increasingly important feature of modern warfare. The systems supplied to Armenia are designed to detect, track and neutralise hostile drones while protecting military positions and critical assets.
For Armenia, the procurement reveals lessons from recent conflicts, where drones have played an important role in surveillance, targeting and attacks. Indian-made anti-drone systems have therefore become part of Armenia’s effort to build a more diversified defence architecture.
From missiles to artillery
The partnership extends beyond radars, missiles and drones. Indian artillery platforms, including the 155mm Trajan towed gun and MArG 155 self-propelled artillery system, have also been showcased alongside Armenian military equipment.
The MArG is mounted on a 4×4 platform, giving it greater mobility, while the Trajan is designed for rapid repositioning and deployment.
Together with Swathi and Pinaka, these systems give Armenia capabilities spanning target detection, surveillance, counter-battery operations and long-range artillery strikes. This growing portfolio also demonstrates the range of India’s emerging defence-export ecosystem.
Why Armenia is turning to India
The rapid expansion of defence ties followed Armenia’s 2020 war with Azerbaijan and the subsequent changes in Yerevan’s security calculations. The conflict reportedly exposed vulnerabilities in Armenia’s air defence, surveillance and artillery capabilities, accelerating its efforts to diversify its military suppliers.
India emerged as an attractive partner as it could provide indigenous systems across multiple capability areas.
India’s experience operating Soviet and Russian-origin military equipment also provides a degree of familiarity as Armenia works to transition towards a more diversified defence architecture. The relationship has consequently expanded beyond individual weapons purchases towards military training, capability development and broader modernisation.
Why the Armenia market matters to India
For New Delhi, Armenia has become more than an export customer. It is a showcase for India’s indigenous defence industry. Armenia now operates multiple Indian-origin systems, giving Indian manufacturers an overseas user base for equipment developed as part of India’s domestic defence manufacturing push.
That can be particularly important for India’s export ambitions. A foreign military operating Indian systems can provide a reference customer for other potential buyers looking for proven equipment.
Armenia has been seeking to diversify its external partnerships, while Pakistan’s defence relationship with Azerbaijan and Turkiye has deepened.
India’s growing defence engagement with Armenia therefore combines commercial and strategic objectives, expanding the market for indigenous weapons while building a closer partnership in the South Caucasus.