Armenia is reportedly finalizing a landmark $3 billion defense agreement with India to acquire HAL-built Su-30MKI multirole fighter jets, marking a major step in strengthening Armenia’s air defense capabilities amid escalating regional militarization by Azerbaijan and Pakistan.
According to Indian Defence News, the agreement, currently in advanced negotiation stages, comes in response to Azerbaijan’s recent purchase of 40 JF-17C Block-III fighters from Pakistan, underscoring Armenia’s efforts to maintain strategic balance in the region.
If finalized, the deal would mark one of India’s largest-ever defense exports, valued between $2.5 billion and $3 billion. The first phase is expected to deliver 8–12 Su-30MKI aircraft, along with pilot training, ground support, and customized weapons integration. Deliveries are projected to begin in late 2027, with final handover by 2029.
The Armenian variant of the Su-30MKI is expected to feature advanced Indian systems, including the Uttam AESA radar, Astra MK-1 and MK-2 beyond-visual-range missiles, and DRDO electronic warfare suites. These enhancements are anticipated to provide superior situational awareness and combat endurance compared to the JF-17C’s Chinese-origin radar and missile systems.
For India, the deal represents a major breakthrough in defense exports, highlighting Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s expanding global reach and strengthening New Delhi’s role as a strategic security partner in the Caucasus region.
Armenia has steadily deepened its defense ties with India in recent years, signing contracts for Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers, Swathi weapon-locating radars, and advanced anti-tank munitions. The Su-30MKI acquisition marks a key step in Yerevan’s strategy to diversify beyond traditional Russian arms suppliers amid ongoing tensions in the South Caucasus.
Russia has long been Armenia’s main arms supplier, accounting for 94 percent of the country’s major weapons imports between 2011 and 2020. However, in recent years, Yerevan has increasingly turned to India as a key defense partner. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Moscow’s declining influence in the South Caucasus, and Azerbaijan’s military incursions—which Moscow largely ignored—Armenia sought alternative sources for advanced weaponry.
Another significant defense partner for Armenia is France. In 2024, Yerevan signed a contract for 36 CAESAR self-propelled howitzers, a highly mobile 155 mm system with long-range precision fire. The agreement underscored Armenia’s shift toward non-Russian suppliers amid doubts over Moscow’s reliability.
Relations between India and Armenia deepened after the 2020 Artsakh war, during which Pakistan strongly supported Azerbaijan against Armenia. In October 2020, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Pakistani special forces were fighting alongside the Azerbaijani army in the conflict over Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).
Observers believe Armenia’s planned purchase of HAL-built Su-30MKI fighter jets from India is a direct response to Azerbaijan’s recent airpower buildup.
In June, Pakistan sold 40 fourth-generation JF-17 Thunder fighters to Azerbaijan, expanding its original order from 16 jets as part of a $4.6 billion defense agreement.
The Pakistani government confirmed the deal on X, marking Pakistan’s largest-ever defense export, Forbes reported.
Analysts say the acquisition strengthens Armenia’s deterrence capabilities against technologically upgraded regional air forces while signaling Yerevan’s pivot toward India as a key defense partner.
