Inventing chess: Armenian diplomacy in India

During his official visit to India, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan gave an interview to local media, making several statements of interest.

Mirzoyan noted that cooperation between Yerevan and New Delhi is actively developing and will continue to deepen. At the same time, he claimed that this partnership is not directed against any third countries. According to Mirzoyan, Armenia is carrying out large-scale reforms of its army, aiming to modernise its defence sector, with Indian expertise and military products playing a significant role in this process.

The Indian journalist pointed out Azerbaijan's negative reaction to India's arms supplies to Armenia, including the Pinaka multiple rocket launch systems. In response, the Armenian minister claimed that Armenia allegedly has no aggressive intentions and is strengthening its defence solely to enhance its own protective capabilities.

Here, the Armenian diplomat is not just being disingenuous but, quite frankly, outright lying. We have repeatedly reported on the types of weaponry that India is supplying or planning to supply to Armenia. It is enough to mention that this includes BrahMos cruise missiles. Moreover, the previously mentioned Pinaka MLRS are, to put it mildly, not exactly intended for defensive purposes.

One of the key topics of the interview was Armenia’s participation in international transit projects. The minister emphasised that the country seeks to become part of global logistics routes, which is particularly important given its geographic isolation. In this context, Armenia has shown interest in Iran’s Chabahar Port as a crucial hub in the North-South Transport Corridor.

Mirzoyan once again spoke about the so-called "Crossroads of Peace," which, if implemented, would supposedly have a positive impact on all South Caucasus countries. At the same time, he stressed the necessity of cooperation with Azerbaijan in this regard.

As we can see, Mirzoyan continues Yerevan’s policy of blocking the Zangezur Corridor while simultaneously admitting that without Azerbaijan, no "crossroads" can function. It seems he is hoping that Baku will make concessions on this issue, with New Delhi potentially playing a facilitating role.

Finally, Mirzoyan cautiously attempted to push for India’s involvement in the negotiation platform with Azerbaijan. He underlined that direct dialogue between Baku and Yerevan remains key to the peace process but welcomed the participation of any country willing to contribute positively. According to the Armenian diplomat, India, as one of the region’s major players, could help strengthen stability and promote cooperation.

It is indeed intriguing how New Delhi intends to "insert itself" into the negotiation process. It seems that the authorities in India and Armenia are determined to "remind" Azerbaijan that these two countries share strong ties—and that the homeland of Bollywood is ready to stand by Yerevan.

This move is likely driven by the departure of the Democratic administration from the White House, which has left Armenia without its most significant political backing on the international stage. Now, the Armenian leadership is desperately trying to reset its solidarity matrix with major powers. This explains why Prime Minister Pashinyan first traveled to Washington and then to Paris.

Clearly, both Paris and New Delhi are awaiting Washington’s position regarding support for Armenia. However, for Trump, this issue is far from a priority, meaning that Armenia’s agenda has, to some extent, been left adrift. Under these circumstances, Armenia is seeking demonstrative support from other partners.

At the same time, as previously reported by Caliber.Az, there are indications that Armenia is planning a small-scale blitzkrieg in April, attempting to seize a minor portion of Azerbaijani territory along the notional border. It is possible that Yerevan is now looking not only for military supplies but also for political backing from New Delhi—precisely the reason for Mirzoyan’s visit to India.

At the same time, it is essential to understand that New Delhi is not so much concerned with Armenia’s fate as it is with its competition against its main strategic rival, Pakistan, which shares a strategic partnership with Azerbaijan. By arming Armenia, India aims to weaken the strong bond of Azerbaijani-Turkish-Pakistani brotherhood and prevent this alliance from reaching its full potential in one of the most sensitive regions—the South Caucasus.

However, India’s influence in the region is constrained not only by Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Pakistan but also by countries traditionally considered India’s partners—Russia and Iran. Neither Moscow nor Tehran has any interest in the emergence of yet another power in the region.

As for arms supplies, Baku has repeatedly warned that any threat to Azerbaijan’s borders will be met with a devastating strike on Armenian military positions. In the end, even in such a scenario, India loses nothing—it is not giving weapons away for free but selling them. And in political terms, to quote a well-known film: "At least I tried."