An Akash AD missile battery during a Republic Day parade in New Delhi. (File photo)
New Delhi: India has completed the first international delivery of its indigenous Akash air-defence missile system. Armenia has become the inaugural foreign customer for this advanced missile technology, marking an important moment for India’s growing role as a global arms exporter.
The $720 million (around ₹6,000 crore) arms agreement signed in 2022 has facilitated Armenia’s acquisition of multiple Akash missile batteries to bolster its air defence against a range of aerial threats, including fighter jets, drones, and cruise missiles. Sanjeev Kumar, secretary of the Department of Defence Production, formally flagged off the shipment, underscoring the importance of this milestone for India’s “Make in India” initiative aimed at strengthening domestic defence manufacturing.
The Akash 1S system exported to Armenia is an enhanced version of India’s indigenously developed Akash missile. Featuring both “command guidance” and “active seeker” technology for terminal guidance, this medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) has a reach of up to 25 kilometres and employs advanced guidance systems that enhance its target-acquisition capabilities.
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and produced by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), the Akash system integrates sophisticated surveillance radars and guidance systems to effectively counter high-speed aerial targets.
This defence cooperation signifies Armenia’s strategic shift away from its traditional reliance on Russian military equipment, particularly amid the evolving geopolitical landscape and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Historically dependent on Moscow for its defence needs, Armenia has now diversified its procurement, identifying India as a reliable alternative supplier of advanced military hardware.
The acquisition of the Akash system is expected to significantly bolster Armenia's air defence capabilities, which is of particular importance given the heightened regional tensions with neighbouring Azerbaijan. As India Sentinels had reported earlier, Azerbaijan was upset with India’s sale of this sophisticated air-defence system to its archenemy, with which it has a longstanding territorial dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is a landlocked enclave inside Azerbaijan but had a majority population of ethnic Armenians until last year.
It may be recalled that in July 2023, India also fulfilled an order of four Pinaka multi-barrel rocket batteries worth ₹2,000 crore to Armenia.
This defence partnership also reflects a broader strengthening of India-Armenia ties, as evidenced by the recent establishment of a bilateral defence consultative mechanism that aims to enhance cooperation in areas such as training and technology transfer.
India’s successful delivery of the Akash missile system to Armenia is likely to open new avenues for defence exports, with countries such as Vietnam and Egypt already expressing interest in acquiring similar capabilities. This achievement highlights India’s growing inroads in the global arms market and its ability to offer cost-effective, technologically advanced military solutions to international partners.
