Armenia emerges as top buyer of Indian SAMs

India has emerged as Armenia's top weapons importer, according to reports, with Yerevan almost doubling its defence spending in the last year.

Armenia has emerged as one of India's major importers of armaments, with reports suggesting their interest in purchasing the Akash Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM), an Indian-manufactured weapon, Sputnik India reports.

Although the order has been recorded by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), there has been no official confirmation regarding this development.

The Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) short-range SAM system Akash is designed to thwart airborne attacks.

New Delhi began providing defence supplies to Yerevan in 2022.

Akash is a short-range SAM system manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) to protect vulnerable areas and points from air attacks. According to the BDL website, the Akash Weapon System (AWS) can simultaneously engage Multiple Targets in Group Mode or Autonomous Mode. It has built-in Electronic Counter-Counter Measures (ECCM) features. The entire weapon system is put atop mobile platforms.

It can effectively engage helicopters, fighter jets, and UAVs flying in the range of 4-25 kilometers. It is fully automatic with quick response time from target detection to kill.

It is highly immune to active and passive jamming. It can be transported swiftly via rail or road and can be deployed quickly. The project has an overall indigenous content of 82 percent, which will be increased to 93 percent by 2026-27.

Armenia has also purchased indigenous Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers, Konkurs anti-tank guided missiles, and a wide variety of ammunition, including 80-mm mortars.