India and Armenia have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Yerevan on 17 August 2026, focusing on joint research, innovation, and shared production in the defence industry.

This agreement marks a significant step in deepening bilateral defence ties, moving beyond arms sales into co-development and industrial collaboration.

Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh met Armenian Minister of High Tech Industry Davit Tadevosyan in Yerevan, where the MoU was formally signed.

The agreement covers cooperation in research, development, innovation, and shared production, reaffirming both nations’ commitment to expand defence industrial cooperation in areas of mutual interest.

Earlier the same day, Singh held discussions with Armenian Defence Minister Suren Papikyan. The talks explored new avenues to strengthen bilateral defence cooperation and highlighted the shared commitment to deepening and elevating the India-Armenia defence partnership.

Ambassador of India to Armenia Nilakshi Saha Sinha also attended the meeting, underscoring the high-level nature of the engagement.

During his visit, Singh also met Chief of the General Staff of Armenia, Lieutenant General Edvard Asryan. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the defence partnership, with renewed focus on defence research and development and industrial collaboration.

Singh arrived in Yerevan on 16 August 2026 for a two-day visit, where he was received by Ambassador Sinha and senior officials from the Armenian Defence Ministry.

This MoU reflects expanding bilateral engagement between India and Armenia across defence sectors. It follows an official visit by a high-level Armenian military delegation to New Delhi earlier this year.

In April, Lieutenant General Edvard Asryan met Defence Secretary Singh in New Delhi to discuss bilateral defence cooperation. He also held talks with Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, focusing on enhancing operational cooperation and strengthening bilateral air power ties.

The agreement is particularly significant as Armenia has emerged as India’s most important overseas market for defence equipment. Since 2020, Armenia has procured radars, rocket launchers, air defence systems, sniper rifles, artillery, counter-drone technologies, and ammunition from India.

The total value of defence deals is estimated at around $3 billion. This partnership provides Armenia with alternatives to Russian military supplies, which have been constrained due to the war in Ukraine, while giving India a major export destination for indigenous systems.

The MoU also aligns with India’s broader push to internationalise its defence industrial base under initiatives such as Make in India and iDEX. For Armenia, it represents a critical diversification of defence partnerships, reducing reliance on Moscow and complementing recent agreements with French defence companies.

The collaboration could potentially open doors for India to expand exports to other nations, positioning it as a reliable supplier of advanced military systems.

The geopolitical context adds further weight to this development. Armenia’s defence ties with India come at a time when Pakistan’s defence relationship with Azerbaijan and Turkey has deepened. Strengthening India-Armenia cooperation thus carries strategic implications for the South Caucasus region and beyond.

ANI