During defence secretary's visit, India & Armenia sign MoU to boost cooperation in defence sector

On August 17, India's defence secretary, Rajesh Kumar Singh, paid a visit to Armenia, where he signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to bolster defence sector cooperation between the two nations. The MoU, signed by Singh and Armenia's Minister of High Tech Industry, Davit Tadevosyan, reaffirms their dedication to expanding bilateral defence industrial collaboration in research, development, innovation, and shared production.

During his visit, Singh toured the Military Academy of Armenia and reviewed an IT lab established with India's assistance. He also received updates on weapon systems provided by India. Singh emphasized the growing cooperation in capacity building and training, reiterating India's commitment to aiding Armenia in areas of shared interest.

Just a day prior, Singh met with Armenian Defence Minister Suren Papikyan, further solidifying the India-Armenia defence partnership. This visit coincides with the strengthening of defence ties between India and Armenia, following a high-level Armenian military delegation's trip to New Delhi earlier this year.

Armenia has become India's leading defence export customer, committing nearly $2 billion for the procurement of advanced indigenous military hardware as part of its ongoing security modernisation and diversification efforts.