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India's Top General Visits Armenia to Strengthen Defence & Security Ties

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan is leading a four-day Indian defence delegation to Armenia to advance bilateral defence engagement. The visit builds on recent institutional dialogues, including a Joint Working Group meeting held in Hyderabad last October. High-level diplomatic exchanges, including a meeting between the countries' foreign ministers, have underscored the growing partnership. The cooperation extends beyond defence to areas like pharmaceutical regulation, following recently signed MoUs.

Key Points: CDS Gen Anil Chauhan Leads Defence Delegation to Armenia

  • 4-day official visit by CDS-led delegation
  • Aim to boost defence-industrial collaboration
  • Follows recent Joint Working Group meeting
  • Part of broader high-level diplomatic outreach
3 min read

CDS Gen Anil Chauhan leads defence delegation to Armenia to boost defence ties

Indian defence delegation, led by CDS Gen Anil Chauhan, visits Armenia for 4 days to advance bilateral security cooperation and strategic interests.

"The visit marks an important step in taking forward shared strategic interests and enhancing long-term defence and security collaboration. - Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff"

Yerevan, February 2

An Indian defence delegation led by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan has arrived in Armenia on a four-day official visit aimed at advancing bilateral defence engagement and strengthening long-term security cooperation between the two countries.

Sharing details of the visit on X, the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff said, "An Indian defence delegation led by General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff #CDS, reached Republic of Armenia on a four-day official visit on 01 Feb. The visit marks an important step in taking forward shared strategic interests and enhancing long-term defence and security collaboration between the two Nations. The delegation was warmly received in Yerevan by Nilakshi Saha Sinha, Ambassador of India to Armenia and Temur Shahnazaryan, Deputy Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia."

The visit comes as part of a series of ongoing defence engagements between India and Armenia, including the Joint Working Group Meeting on Defence Cooperation held in Hyderabad, Telangana, on October 23, 2025, where both sides exchanged views on strengthening bilateral defence ties.

Providing details of that meeting, the Ministry of Defence said in a post on X, "The Joint Working Group Meeting on Defence Cooperation between India and Armenia was held in Hyderabad today. Both countries exchanged views on bilateral defence cooperation, defence industrial collaboration amongst other issues of mutual interest in security domain. The Indian delegation was led by Vishwesh Negi, Joint Secretary (IC) and the Armenian delegation was led by Levon Ayvazyan, Head of Policy and International Military Cooperation Department, MoD of Armenia."

Beyond defence cooperation, these engagements are part of broader diplomatic outreach between the two nations, reflected in Secretary (West) Sibi George representing India at Armenia's National Day celebrations on October 1, where he reaffirmed commitment to the longstanding India-Armenia friendship.

The details were shared by the Ministry of External Affairs in a post on X, highlighting that ties between India and Armenia are rooted in history and built on recent high-level engagements among the leadership of both countries. "Secretary (West) Sibi George represented India at the National Day celebrations of the Republic of Armenia. He reaffirmed commitment to the longstanding friendship rooted in history, building on recent high level engagements among the leadership of both countries," the MEA spokesperson posted on X.

The diplomatic momentum was also reflected earlier in June when External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in Marseille, where they held a "useful discussion on our close cooperation and regional developments".

Further strengthening institutional ties, India and Armenia signed two major Memoranda of Understanding on March 11 during Mirzoyan's visit to India, including an MoU between India's Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation and Armenia's Center of Drug and Medical Technology Expertise on cooperation in regulating medical products.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Good to see India expanding its diplomatic and defence footprint. The MoU on medical products regulation is also a smart, non-military collaboration. It shows the relationship is multi-faceted. Hope this leads to more opportunities for Indian businesses.
R
Rohit P
While I support stronger ties, I hope the focus remains on tangible outcomes for our own defence preparedness. Sometimes these high-level visits become more about photo-ops. Let's see what concrete agreements on joint production or technology transfer come out of this.
S
Sarah B
Interesting development. As an observer, India's outreach to countries like Armenia shows a mature foreign policy that isn't just focused on its immediate neighbours. Building these partnerships is key for long-term stability and trade.
K
Karthik V
Armenia has been a traditional friend. This is about deepening an existing relationship, not starting a new one. Our defence equipment, like the Pinaka rockets, are already proving their worth there. More power to our defence exports! 💪
N
Nisha Z
It's heartening to see such consistent engagement - from the JWG in Hyderabad to the Ambassador's reception. This shows a sustained effort, not a one-off visit. Building trust takes time. Well done to our diplomats and defence officials.

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