Armenia Buys French, Indian Weapons in Signal of Drift From Ally Russia

• Armenia has been ordering extra weapons, turning to France and India for air-defense programs.
• Armenia is a longtime ally of Russia, however it has leaned away from Moscow in recent times.
• With its deal with Ukraine, Russia has supplied Armenia little assist in its conflicts with Azerbaijan.

In current weeks, Armenia has ordered air-defense programs and radars from France and reportedly anti-drone programs from India.

These orders come amid heightened tensions with neighboring Azerbaijan, with which Armenia has fought a number of conflicts, together with a brief conflict in September that ended with Azerbaijan conquering the enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, inflicting its 120,000 ethnic Armenian residents to flee.

The acquisitions are notable not just for their timing however as a result of they present Armenia is taking tangible steps to reduce its dependency on army {hardware} from Russia, a longtime ally that has supplied Yerevan little help in opposition to mounting strain from Azerbaijan.

Armenia’s six-week battle with Azerbaijan in 2020 captured worldwide consideration for Azerbaijan’s use of aerial drones. At a press convention to announce the sale in October, France’s protection minister stated air defenses had been “completely key” and that Paris was aiding Yerevan with gross sales of three Thales GM 200 radars and an settlement on the long run supply of short-range Mistral air-defense missiles.

“Armenia’s option to order air-defense programs from France is a big one,” James Rogers, an knowledgeable on drones and precision warfare, instructed Enterprise Insider. “Not solely does it spotlight to Russia that Armenia has choices in relation to protection cooperation, however it marks a significant leap ahead in Armenia’s makes an attempt to modernize its army.”

Experiences in early November additionally indicated Yerevan was additionally shopping for extra weaponry from India, together with Zen anti-drone programs, which are designed to detect and convey down enemy drones. Armenia beforehand purchased 4 Indian-made Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers in 2022, the primary overseas order of that system.

Nicholas Heras, senior director of technique and innovation on the New Strains Institute, instructed Enterprise Insider that Armenia is advancing its overseas and national-security insurance policies on two tracks.

“One observe is to construct protection alliances with extra highly effective exterior actors in Eurasia, and the second observe is to enhance the Armenian army’s potential to defend in opposition to Azeri airpower in tactical engagements,” Heras stated. “India, particularly, is a prized protection accomplice with Armenia as a result of India has a big protection trade that may additionally arm and enhance Russian weapons platforms which Armenia deploys.”

Armenia’s army arsenal has lengthy been predominantly Russian, however Yerevan has tried to vary that as its relations with Moscow have soured, particularly after its devastating defeat within the 2020 battle, throughout which Azerbaijan used Israeli- and Turkish-made weapons.

Russia has failed to help Armenia regardless of Yereven’s membership within the Moscow-led Collective Safety Treaty Group. Along with being tied down by the battle in Ukraine, Russia is probably going irked by Armenia shifting nearer to Washington and the West below Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who has lengthy questioned the worth of CSTO membership.

“Armenia’s partnership with Russia is at a low ebb, and Pashinyan is pushing ahead, slowly however certainly, to convey Armenia nearer to NATO, together with the prospect of normalizing Armenia’s relations with Turkey,” Heras stated.

Over the previous two years, the US has been sending “a powerful sign” that it “want to take a look at out the prospect for a extra strategic US-Armenian safety relationship,” Heras added.

Washington and Yerevan appeared to show mutual curiosity in nearer protection relations in September, when Armenia hosted a bilateral train centered on coaching for peacekeeping operations.

Eighty-five US troops skilled alongside 175 Armenia personnel throughout the drill, which was “a testomony to our longstanding partnership with Armenia and builds upon many years of profitable peacekeeping and safety cooperation,” the US Embassy in Armenia stated in an announcement.

Russia, predictably, opposed the train, and Yerevan has saved its distance since then. Pashinyan skipped the group’s summit in mid-November, a transfer Russia accused the West of orchestrating.

Armenia below Pashinyan has tried to maneuver away from Russia “by constructing an internet of strategic partnerships,” Heras stated. “Basically, Pashinyan doesn’t need to depend upon Russia to make sure Armenia’s territorial integrity and safety, and his effort to construct the connection with america works towards this objective.”

Buying weaponry from different international locations serves an analogous objective, however Armenia’s current purchases additionally mirror the sensitivity of its worldwide place.

The Mistral missile has a comparatively quick vary of 4 miles, suggesting the sale is supposed to bolster Armenia’s arsenal however was made with potential political backlash in thoughts. Turkey has criticized French arms gross sales to Yerevan. (Azerbaijan has additionally criticized the current French and Indian arms gross sales to Armenia.)

“Vary is vital in battle” and allows strikes on a wider set of targets, Rogers stated. “So as to not destabilize the area or threat an outbreak of hostilities, subsequently, Armenia and France have agreed to those short-range but efficient air-defense programs.”

Heras stated the primary quandary going through Armenian overseas coverage is that it can’t afford to sever ties with Russia regardless of current tensions however it additionally can’t belief Russia to intervene on its facet if there’s one other battle with Azerbaijan. The necessity to strike a stability between Russia and new companions whereas bolstering its small army with restricted assets complicates Armenia’s process.

“Armenia must buy weapons that enhance its potential to pursue a ‘porcupine technique,'” making itself a extra threatening goal for Azerbaijan if the 2 international locations go to battle once more, Heras stated.

Shopping for French and Indian short-range air-defense weapons that might be utilized by small infantry models is “a probably cost-effective method to impose increased prices on Azerbaijan’s drone airpower,” Heras added.

Paul Iddon is a contract journalist and columnist who writes about Center East developments, army affairs, politics, and historical past. His articles have appeared in a wide range of publications centered on the area.