Armenia emerges as potential first buyer of India’s Pinaka rocket

Armenia could become the first international customer for India’s 120-km Guided Pinaka rocket, building on its existing acquisition of the 75-km Guided Pinaka system, according to a report by idrw.org citing sources familiar with the programme.

The extended-range guided rocket is currently undergoing developmental trials and is expected to receive production clearance by mid-2027, after which India plans to offer the system to a number of friendly foreign countries, the report said.

Sources cited by idrw.org said Armenia has been kept informed about the rocket’s development because it already operates the Guided Pinaka system. This existing capability could make the transition to the longer-range variant relatively straightforward from both operational and logistical perspectives.

The 120-km Guided Pinaka is being developed as a longer-range addition to India’s indigenous multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) family. The system is intended to remain compatible with existing Pinaka launchers, while extending the rocket’s effective range and enabling artillery units to engage targets deeper inside opposing territory without requiring entirely new launcher platforms or associated support infrastructure.

According to the report, developmental trials are progressing as planned, with production approval expected around mid-2027.

Once production begins, India intends to market the 120-km Guided Pinaka to several foreign partners as part of its broader defence-export strategy. Armenia, which was the first foreign customer for the Guided Pinaka family, is expected to be among the first countries to receive an offer for the extended-range version.

The new rocket is expected to form part of India’s defence-export portfolio alongside other domestically developed systems, including the BrahMos missile and Akash air-defence system, as well as other precision-guided weapons.

By Tamilla Hasanova