Armenia may ask India to upgrade its Su-30s, buy Astra missiles: Here's why

Armenia has reportedly approached India to explore the procurement of Indian missiles, such as the indigenous beyond visual range Astra air-to-air missile, and to potentially upgrade its Russian-origin Sukhoi 30 (Su-30) combat aircraft fleet.

Citing defence establishment sources, a report published by ThePrint on Saturday said that while discussions between New Delhi and Yerevan on these matters are ongoing, they are still in the early stages.

What does Armenia want from India?

Armenia's aim is to modernise its air force, these sources told the publication, adding that Yerevan is seeking New Delhi's assistance for weaponry and maintaining military platforms.

Speaking to ThePrint, one unnamed source said that Armenia wants to upgrade its Su-30 jets and integrate Indian weapons with the platform. However, the source cautioned that because the Armenian Su-30 aircraft are different from the jets of the same family operated by India, both sides will have to see what can be done to upgrade them.

India operates nearly 272 Su-30 MKI jets, which are a customised and upgraded India-specific version, and has successfully localised the production of some aircraft components, reducing reliance on Russia for service and spare parts.

Armenia is also focusing on the maintenance of its Su-30 jets and pilot training.

The four Su-30 jets Armenia acquired from Russia in 2019 were not deployed during the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan due to a lack of firepower, including the absence of guided air-to-surface munitions.

As such, the Armenian Su-30s have reportedly been labelled as "white elephants" due to the fact that they have not shown significant utility despite the high investment associated with them.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan has invested in drones and loitering munitions, which have helped it neutralise Armenian armoured units and air defence assets.

As such, Armenia is also reportedly interested in acquiring air-to-surface guided munitions from India.

BrahMos for Armenia?

The report added that it was not yet confirmed whether Armenia was also considering acquiring air-launched BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles from India, indicating that there may have been some initial interest expressed by Yerevan.

Speaking to the publication, the defence establishment sources also pointed out that missile exports are governed by multiple protocols. As such, any possible export of BrahMos to Armenia would require resolving a number of issues beforehand.

What's in it for India?

After the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenia has emerged as a significant defence export market for India. Yerevan has already purchased various systems, including artillery guns, missiles, mortars, radars, small arms, and sighting systems, from New Delhi.

According to a recent analysis by the Washington, D C–based defence policy think tank, the Jamestown Foundation, Armenia became the largest foreign recipient of Indian weapons in 2020, with defence contracts with India amounting to an estimated $2 billion.

Armenia has purchased or is in the process of acquiring substantial Indian-made weapon systems, including the Akash-1S air defence system, under the $2-billion defence partnership signed in 2020. According to the analysis, this is a clear indication that Armenia is increasingly relying on India for military support and signals a departure from Armenia's traditional dependence on Russian military supplies.

According to reports, Armenia is set to receive India's indigenously developed Akash-1S air defence system later in 2024. Armenia had placed a $720-million order for 15 of these systems in 2022, making it the Bharat Dynamics Limited platform's first international customer.

Against this backdrop, an Indian finance ministry report has stated that Armenia "has become the largest importer of weapons from India after concluding deals on the purchase of Pinaka multiple-launch rocket systems and Akash anti-aircraft systems." The report added, "... the total volume of weapons purchases by Armenia from India reached $600 million by the start of the current (financial year) 2024–25."

From 2011 to 2020, Russia was the primary supplier of major arms to Armenia, accounting for 94 per cent of Yerevan's imports.

In 2023, Armenia also appointed a defence attaché to its embassy in New Delhi to strengthen military ties with India.

Apart from being an export destination for its military hardware, the Jamestown Foundation analysis adds that India's growing partnership with Armenia offers New Delhi a strategic presence in the South Caucasus. This will help it to counter the influence of Pakistan and Turkey in the region and enhance India's access to European and Eurasian markets.

According to the analysis, the deepening defence cooperation between the two nations reflects their strategic efforts to reshape regional alliances.

India-Armenia bilateral ties grew closer following the 2020 Karabakh war, during which Pakistan backed Azerbaijan against Armenia. Against this backdrop, the analysis says that India is fortifying Armenia's military capabilities with the aim of establishing Yerevan as its strategic partner in the South Caucasus.