Armenia considers purchasing weapons from India

Amid the continuing tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the former is considering entering new defence agreements with India.

The Armenpress reported on this, citing the Indian online journal ThePrint. 

The Armenian Defence Minister Suren Papikian met his Indian counterpart Sri Rajnath Singh on October 18 within the framework of DEFEXPO 2022 held in the city of Gandhinagar in the West of India.

Only recently the two countries signed an intergovernmental agreement on Armenia’s purchasing of Indian “Pinaka” rocket launchers, “Competition” anti-tank missile systems, 80 mm mortars and other weapons, the Armenpress reports.

While sources inside the Indian government do not want to disclose the contents of the meeting, they claim that “their main focus was the cooperation in the field of defence”.

According to Armenpress, Armenia is considering the possibility of purchasing “Akash” anti-aircraft missile systems and kamikaze drones developed by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Solar Industries.

In September, it was reported that Armenia would receive Pinaka multiple-barrel rocket launchers, missiles, rockets and ammunition from India in October 2020. The cost of the contract, according to media reports, is estimated at more than $250 million.