To beat Pakistan-Azerbaijan nexus, Armenia turns to India for defence

Armenia is building stronger defence ties with India to counter the growing threat from Azerbaijan, which is backed by both Pakistan and Türkiye. A high-ranking Armenian Army delegation visited the School of Artillery in Maharashtra’s Nashik district.

The three-member delegation was briefed on the training facilities and methodology adopted at the School of Artillery. The visiting delegation also witnessed a live artillery firing exercise.Late last month, during a visit to Delhi, Armenia’s first deputy minister of defence and chief of the general staff, Lt Gen Edvard Asryan, held high-level talks with Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan, Chief of Army Staff Gen Upendra Dwivedi, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh and Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.In February 2026, India’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan, visited Yerevan to deepen bilateral cooperation, inaugurate defence research facilities and emphasise joint training in modern warfare. The visit underscored India’s emergence as Armenia’s most dependable arms supplier at a time when Moscow, traditionally Armenia’s primary source of military equipment, has scaled back deliveries due to its focus on the war in Ukraine.

Azerbaijan launched two conflicts against Armenia in 2020 and 2023, with support from both Pakistan and Türkiye. Islamabad has signed a deal with Baku for 40 JF-17 Block III aircraft, the largest export order for these fighter jets so far. Other operators of the JF-17, including Myanmar and Nigeria, use the aircraft in much smaller numbers. During these conflicts, the Azerbaijani military deployed Turkish-origin systems against Armenian forces.

This prompted Yerevan to seek more dependable air defence capabilities, eventually leading the Caucasian country to procure India’s Akash surface-to-air missile system.Since 2020, Armenia has signed defence contracts worth nearly $2 billion with India, including deals for Swathi weapon-locating radars, Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers (MBRL) and advanced anti-drone systems. In 2022, Yerevan became the first foreign buyer of India’s Akash missile system in a deal valued at $720 million, significantly strengthening its air defence capabilities.Deliveries of the Akash system began in 2024, enhancing Armenia’s ability to counter UAV and missile threats. Armenia has increasingly turned to India for advanced weapon systems, military training and potential joint production initiatives, making New Delhi an important player in the strategic balance in the South Caucasus.