India’s Defence secretary in Armenia to bolster defence partnership

Armenia ans India discussed new avenues to strengthen defence cooperation and underlined the growing strategic partnership between the two countries during the visit of defence secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, who arrived in Armenian for a two-day visit, The Times of India reports.

Singh called on Armenian defence minister Suren Papikyan, with the two sides reaffirming their commitment to deepening and elevating the India-Armenia defence partnership, defence ministry said in a statement. He is scheduled to hold discussions with the Armenian leadership to chart out the future roadmap for bilateral engagement in defence and strategic sectors. His visit comes amid intensifying defence ties between New Delhi and Yerevan, following a high-level Armenian military delegation’s visit to New Delhi earlier this year.

Armenia has emerged as India’s top defence export customer, committing nearly $2 billion to procure advanced indigenous military hardware amid its ongoing modernisation and security diversification efforts. Armenia became the first international buyer of Pinaka Multi-Barrel Rocket Launchers and the country has also purchased other Indian-made systems like Akash air defence systems, Swathi weapon-locating radars, artillery and howitzers, and missiles.