Armenia seeks to acquire more ATAGS artillery systems from India

Armenia is looking to acquire more 155mm ATAGS (Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems) from India.

Sujan Chinoy, Director General of the Institute of Defence Studies and Analysis (India) revealed the information in a conversation with Armenian media, as per Caliber.Az.

Earlier reports indicated that Yerevan placed an order for ATAGS artillery systems worth $155 million from New Delhi in 2022. The first batch of six 155mm towed howitzers was delivered in August 2023.

"ATAGS are highly manoeuvrable systems produced in India, and they have been very successful. The Armenian side purchased half a dozen of these systems and was satisfied with the acquisition," Chinoy stated.

He also recalled that Delhi previously supplied Swathi radar systems to Armenia under a $40 million contract. According to him, Indian-made multi-barrel rocket launchers (MLRSs) are among the best in the world and are in high demand.

Chinoy further noted that Armenia has shown interest in acquiring Pinaka rocket launchers, with a potential deal valued at about $250 million. He emphasized that India's military industry is one of the country's flagship sectors, positioning India as not only a manufacturer but also a key supplier of military products. The country is actively working to secure the defence supply chain and support small and medium-sized enterprises.

By 2024, India had exported around $2.5 billion in defence products, with plans to increase this figure to $6.5 billion by 2028.

In 2024, Armenia and India signed a cooperation plan between their defence ministries for the 2024-2025 period. This marked the first official consultation between the defence departments of the two countries, where they discussed ongoing collaboration in military technology and personnel training, as well as the establishment of a joint working group.