Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan, during his official visit to Armenia, paid tribute to the 1.5 million Armenians who perished in the genocide by laying a wreath at the Armenian Genocide Memorial and Museum in Yerevan. The visit of the Indian defence delegation, led by General Chauhan, signifies a significant step in strengthening mutual strategic interests and fostering long-term defence and security cooperation between India and Armenia.
The Indian defence delegation, headed by General Chauhan, arrived in Armenia for a four-day official visit, where they were warmly welcomed by Ms Nilakshi Saha Sinha, Ambassador of India to Armenia, and Major General Temur Shahnazaryan, Deputy Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia. Recently, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off the first batch of guided Pinaka rockets bound for Armenia, marking a substantial milestone in defence collaboration between the two nations.
Armenia had entered into a contract worth approximately Rs 2,000 crore in September 2022 for the procurement of four Pinaka rocket system batteries, becoming the inaugural international customer for the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The agreement underscores India’s commitment to self-reliance in defence manufacturing and its aspiration to emerge as a prominent global defence exporter.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted the significance of the Pinaka missile exports, emphasizing India’s growing prowess in the defence industry and its transition from a defence equipment importer to a key player in the global defence export market.
