NEW DELHI—India is considering supplying a new batch of military equipment to Armenia after the successful delivery of the first batch of weapons over the past year, reports The Economic Times. A senior Armenian official recently visited Delhi and held discussions in this regard, according to people with knowledge of the matter who informed ET. India has emerged as a credible weapons supplier according to Armenia’s requirements, they said. Details of the fresh supplies are not yet known, but the consignment could include equipment that would help create a deterrence amid the conflict with Azerbaijan, as suggested by unidentified observers in Armenia. The ET report described Armenia as India’s “strategic ally in the Caucasus.”
The latest delivery of Indian weapons to Armenia included Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers, anti-tank missiles, and ammunition. The arms shipments were reportedly routed through Iran, which has historical ties with Armenia, leading to protests from Azerbaijan.
Earlier this year, India, Iran, and Armenia teamed up to explore a transportation corridor during a meeting in Yerevan in April. The three sides discussed economic projects, regional communication channels, prospects for deepening cultural and people-to-people contacts, and trilateral cooperation in various fields. It was decided to “continue consultations” in this format. The trilateral meeting also discussed the use of the North-South transport corridor.
The new weapons brought to Armenia are currently being tested by the Armenian military, and the results are “very satisfactory,” according to the chairman of Armenia’s Parliamentary Committee on Defense and Security Affairs, Andranik Kocharyan. Details of the fresh supplies are not yet known, but anonymous analysts in Armenia suggested that the cargo might comprise tools that could act as a deterrent amid the hostile environment with Azerbaijan.
