NEW DELHI — India is pushing Russia out of the arms market and has already begun to erode Russia’s monopoly on supplying weapons to Armenia, according to a report by Reuters.
One of the first examples of this shift is Armenia, Reuters notes. Citing data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the report states that between 2022 and 2024, 43% of Armenia’s imported weapons came from India—compared to virtually zero during 2016–2018.
“India is particularly targeting governments that have long relied on Russian arms supplies,” two sources told Reuters.
India’s plans, disclosed to Reuters by 15 individuals and previously unreported, reveal the government’s unprecedented efforts to attract and finance foreign buyers. These efforts come as countries around the world are rearming and long-standing geopolitical alliances are being reshaped.
Between 2022 and 2024, India supplied 43% of the weapons imported by Armenia, whereas in 2016–2018, that figure was nearly zero.
In 2023, Armenia appointed a military attaché in India, and in 2024, India did the same in Armenia.
According to India’s Ministry of Defense, Armenian purchases of Indian weaponry are projected to reach $600 million in the 2024–2025 fiscal year.
Since 2021, Armenia has been acquiring missiles, artillery systems, air defense systems, and other types of weaponry from India.
