The Atlantic Council: Armenia and India must seize the opportunity to transform their relationships into a strategic partnership

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trips to Paris and Washington, DC, in the past month were high-profile examples of India’s diplomatic engagement with major powers. But under the radar, New Delhi has made important strides with smaller countries as well. India and Armenia, for example, have steadily strengthened their defense partnership since 2020, driven by a shared need for strategic alliances in a turbulent geopolitical landscape, the Atlantic Council writes. As noted, for Armenia, a small landlocked country in the South Caucasus, ongoing security threats from neighboring Azerbaijan have necessitated a shift away from its traditional dependence on Russian military support.

The article says, the South Caucasus remains politically unstable, marked by territorial conflicts and shifting alliances. The loss of Artsakh, displacing an estimated 100,000 ethnic Armenians, underscores this instability. Ongoing tensions raise security concerns for Armenia, which is promoting efforts to expand its diplomatic and security agreements following Russia’s failure to uphold its security agreement. Russia’s diminishing influence in the region and specifically with Armenia, exacerbated by a lack of support for Armenia’s defense against Azerbaijan and by its invasion of Ukraine, has made it more urgent for Armenia to find new, reliable partners. To bolster its defense, it has turned to India, expanding its procurement of Indian weapons systems, such as the Akash-1S air defense system and the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher. This partnership not only enhances Armenia’s defense capabilities but also allows India to expand its influence in the South Caucasus, where it faces opposition from Turkish and Pakistani alliances that support Azerbaijan. Critically, however, India’s involvement in Armenia goes beyond defense; it is part of a broader regional strategy. By deepening relations with Armenia, India strengthens its position as a major player across Eurasia and emphasizes the importance of the International North-South Transport Corridor, which aims to connect India with Europe through Armenia and Iran. The growing military and diplomatic cooperation between India and Armenia benefits both countries beyond immediate defense concerns. From a geopolitical perspective, India is filling a vacuum left by Russia, which has traditionally supplied most of Armenia’s arms. How actively the United States will support this development going forward depends on the broader strategic dynamics of US-India and US-Armenia relations. Armenia has signed multiple defense deals with India, making India its largest defense supplier, replacing its decade-long largest supplier, Russia, in 2020. These agreements include advanced technologies such as anti-drone systems, radars, and air-defense missiles. This shift strengthens Armenia’s military and secures for India a strategic partner in a region that could serve as a gateway for Indian exports to both Europe and Russia. Beyond military collaboration, Armenia and India are also expanding their economic partnership. “Now, both nations must seize the opportunity to transform this relationship into a strategic partnership, advancing their geopolitical, economic, and security interests in an increasingly multipolar world,” the article says.