Pashinyan claims Armenia’s military reforms "peaceful" Despite heavy armament deals

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated that Armenia's ongoing military reforms are not aimed at aggression.

Pashinyan emphasized that the country's military-technical collaborations and efforts to build a professional army are not meant to convey any aggressive intent, Caliber.Az reports citing Armenian media.

"We are engaged in military-technical cooperation with a range of countries and are in the process of developing a professional army. However, I assure you that these reforms do not carry any aggressive connotations," Pashinyan said.

The announcement follows Armenia's recent defence deals, including a contract with France for the purchase of Caesar self-propelled howitzers and becoming the largest buyer of Indian arms. The Indian Ministry of Defence revealed that Armenia’s arms purchases from India for the fiscal years 2024-2025 will amount to $600 million, covering missiles, artillery systems, air defence systems, and other military equipment.

Additionally, on September 14, it was reported that Russia had begun shipping a substantial quantity of missiles to Armenia for the Smerch multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS).

by Tamilla Hasanova