Armenia Strengthens Defense With Indian Akash SAMs and Pinaka MLRS

The Armenian Ministry of Defense has showcased the latest weapons purchased under contracts with India’s defense industry.

The Ministry published a video on its official Telegram channel.

The displayed arsenal includes artillery systems, multiple launch rocket systems, and air defense assets.

Armenia selected these systems as alternatives to Soviet- and Russian-made weapons.

In particular, the country has reinforced its air defense with Indian Akash-1S medium-range systems. The surface-to-air missile system is designed to protect troops and strategic sites.

It can intercept aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles at ranges up to 30 km.

Among the artillery systems, the military also presented the Pinaka multiple launch rocket system. The French Armed Forces are currently considering the system as one of the procurement options.

The Multiple Launch Rocket System uses standardized launch modules and can fire guided and unguided rockets with a range of up to 75 km.

This significantly expands the rocket artillery capabilities of Armenian units.

The Ministry of Defense also displayed the 155 mm Trajan artillery system. Its key feature is an integrated auxiliary power unit that enables the gun to move short distances independently without a tractor or crew assistance.

The Trajan howitzer was developed by the French company Nexter (now KNDS France) and is mass-produced in India by Bharat Forge for domestic use and export.

The system is based on a 155 mm gun with a 52-caliber barrel, the same weapon used on the CAESAR wheeled self-propelled artillery system.
Alongside the towed Trajan, the MArG 155 self-propelled artillery system was also demonstrated. It is a light, mobile system developed by Bharat Forge.

The system is mounted on a 4×4 wheeled chassis and fitted with a 155 mm gun. Unlike the Trajan, the MArG 155 uses a 39-caliber barrel, providing a maximum firing range of up to 24 km with standard high-explosive fragmentation ammunition.

Why Is Armenia Buying Weapons From India?

Active bilateral military cooperation between Armenia and India was launched after Yerevan did not receive the support it expected from Russia during the Second Karabakh War.

This prompted Armenia to seek new defense partners to modernize its arsenal and improve the mobility and firepower of its forces.
A significant first step was the purchase of four Swathi counter-battery radars worth $40 million. The systems are used to detect enemy artillery positions and have demonstrated their effectiveness in combat, receiving higher assessments than Russian or Polish equivalents.

Since 2022, India has been supplying Armenia with a broad range of weapons, including Pinaka Multiple Launch Rocket System, Konkurs anti-tank missiles, mortars, small-arms ammunition, 30–40 mm grenades, 155 mm/39-caliber self-propelled artillery systems, 155 mm/52-caliber ATAGS towed guns, ZEN counter-drone systems, as well as Akash and Akash-NG air defense systems.

The groundwork for these large-scale agreements was laid over the past three years. Armenia has gradually become one of India’s leading buyers of weapons since appointing its first military attaché in New Delhi in May 2023.

In April 2024, India reciprocated by opening a military attaché post in Yerevan, marking its first such representation in the Caucasus.