Indian Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, left, in Armenia

Armenia, India Discuss Ways to Strengthen Ties

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YEREVAN (Firstpost.com) — Representatives of India and Armenia on Monday, August 17, discussed new avenues to strengthen defense cooperation, underlining the growing strategic partnership between the two countries amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in the region.

Indian Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, who was on a two-day visit to Armenia, met Armenian Defense Minister Suren Papikyan in Yerevan.

The Indian Defense Ministry said the two sides explored ways to further expand bilateral defense cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the partnership.

Singh arrived in Yerevan on August 16 and was received by India’s ambassador to Armenia and senior Armenian Defense Ministry officials.

During his visit, Singh was scheduled to hold discussions with Armenian leadership on the future course of India-Armenia defense and strategic cooperation.

The engagement comes as ties between New Delhi and Yerevan have expanded significantly in recent years, with India emerging as an important supplier of military equipment to Armenia.

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India and Armenia have expanded military cooperation through a series of major defense agreements since 2020. Armenian purchases of Indian-made systems, including Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers and Akash air defense systems, have become key components of the growing partnership.

The expanding defense relationship has also been accompanied by high-level diplomatic engagement aimed at establishing stronger institutional links between the two countries’ armed forces.

For India, this cooperation allows it to expand its defense exports and strengthen its strategic footprint beyond South Asia.

The growing India-Armenia partnership assumes added significance against the backdrop of closer ties between Pakistan, Turkey and Azerbaijan.

The three countries have developed increasingly close strategic relations, with Azerbaijan and Turkey maintaining strong support for Pakistan on several regional issues.

Pakistan, meanwhile, has consistently backed Azerbaijan in its dispute with Armenia.

Beyond defense sales, the partnership reflects India’s broader effort to build strategic relationships based on military cooperation, technology and diplomacy.

New Delhi’s engagement with Yerevan allows India to strengthen its position as a reliable defense partner while demonstrating its ability to pursue strategic interests independently of traditional regional alignments.

 

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