Armenia is reportedly close to finalizing a landmark defense agreement with India for the purchase of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s Su-30MKI multirole fighter jets.
The estimated value of the deal lies between $2.5 billion and $3 billion, and the first batch of between eight and twelve aircraft is expected for delivery starting in 2027, with completion by around 2029, Indian Defense News reported.
The previous Indian-Armenian arms deals have also been reported by the website and were followed with confirmations from both governments.
This procurement takes place amid Armenia’s broader effort to diversify its defense-industry partnerships away from traditional reliance on Russia. Although Armenia acquired four Russian-made Su-30SM jets in 2019, those aircraft have seen limited operational service due to difficulties sourcing compatible munitions and technical support. The new Indian deal comes atop a string of recent agreements between Yerevan and New Delhi — including the purchase of Pinaka multiple-launch rocket systems, Swathi counter-battery radars and ATAGS 155mm howitzers.
The Su-30MKI itself is a heavy twin-engine platform originally developed for India in collaboration with Russia, and known for advanced avionics, dual-engine thrust-vectoring and significant weapons-carrying capacity. In the Armenian variant, it is expected to be fitted with Indian-made upgrades such as the Uttam AESA radar, Astra MK-1 and MK-2 beyond-visual-range missiles and an advanced electronic-warfare suite. These enhancements are intended to provide Armenia with a significant boost in situational awareness and air-combat endurance — capabilities countering Azerbaijan’s recent induction of forty Pakistan-manufactured JF-17C Block-III fighters.
For India, the contract represents one of the largest defense-export successes of recent years, and marks a strategic push into the South Caucasus region.
