India dispatches first Akash air defence missile battery for export: BEL

Akash surface-to-air missile system battery being exported to 'friendly foreign country', widely speculated to be Armenia, though not officially confirmed

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India on Monday dispatched the first Akash surface-to-air missile (SAM) system battery for export to a "friendly foreign country", as stated by Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), a Navratna defence public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Defence. This marks the first international sale of the indigenously developed air defence system.

 

Marking a "significant step in India's defence exports", Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar on Monday "flagged off" the first Akash system battery in Bengaluru for export to a friendly foreign country, BEL revealed in a post on social media platform X. 

 

"This event reflects India's growing capabilities in defence technology and manufacturing," said BEL, adding, "BEL contributed to this achievement by providing key ground support equipment, including surveillance radars, missile guidance radars, and command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) systems."

 

The statement noted that Monday's development "aligns with the goals of 'Make in India', reinforcing India's progress in self-reliant defence manufacturing". The country clocked record defence exports of Rs 21,083 crore (approximately $2.63 billion) in the financial year (FY) 2023-24, with outbound arms shipments growing 32.5 per cent over the previous financial year.      The social media post did not clarify whether the battery has already been shipped to its destination country.

 

Who is this 'friendly foreign country'?

 

The 'friendly foreign country' being referred to is most likely to be Armenia.

 

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

 

A recent analysis by the Washington, D C–based defence policy think tank, the Jamestown Foundation, states that Armenia emerged as the largest foreign recipient of Indian weapons in 2020, with prospective defence contracts with India estimated at $2 billion.

 

Armenia has acquired or is in the process of acquiring significant Indian-made weapon systems, including the Akash air defence system, under this $2-billion defence partnership signed in 2020. The analysis highlights that this marks Armenia's increasing reliance on India for military support, representing a shift away from its traditional dependence on Russian military supplies.

 

Armenia reportedly placed a $720-million order for 15 Akash air defence systems in 2022, making it the first international customer of the Bharat Dynamics Limited platform. 

 

A recent finance ministry report also states 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 also notes, "... the total volume of weapons purchases by Armenia from India reached $600 million by the start of the current (financial year) 2024–25."

 

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

 

To strengthen military ties with India, Armenia also appointed a defence attaché to its embassy in New Delhi last year.

 

India-Armenia bilateral relations strengthened after the 2020 Karabakh war, during which Pakistan supported Azerbaijan against Armenia.