India and Armenia discuss current geostrategic situation, expanding military engagement
New Delhi, May 1
Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi held a meeting with Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia, Lieutenant General Edvard Asryan in New Delhi on Friday, with talks focused on the current geostrategic situation, strengthening defence cooperation, expanding military engagement and advancing collaboration between two nations in areas of mutual interest.
"Lieutenant General Edvard Asryan, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, called on General Upendra Dwivedi, COAS. The interaction focused on the current geostrategic situation, strengthening India-Armenia Defence Cooperation, expanding military engagement and advancing collaboration in areas of mutual interest," Indian Army's Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) stated on X.
Currently on an official visit to India, Lieutenant General Asryan had called on Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in the capital earlier, discussing issues related to defence cooperation.
"During his official visit to India, First Deputy Minister of Defence of the Republic of Armenia, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Edvard Asryan met with the Defence Secretary of India Rajesh Kumar Singh," Armenia's Ministry of Defence posted on X.
"Issues related to Armenia-India cooperation in the defence sector were discussed," it added.
On Tuesday, Lieutenant General Asryan held a meeting with Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal, A P Singh, with discussions focused on enhancing operational cooperation, interoperability and strengthening bilateral air power ties.
"Lt Gen Edvard Asryan, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia on an official visit to India, called on Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, Indian Air Force. Discussions focused on enhancing operational cooperation, interoperability and strengthening bilateral air power ties," Indian Air Force - Media Co-ordination Centre posted on X.
According to the statement released by Armenia's Ministry of Defence, the two officials discussed issues related to bilateral cooperation in the defence sector.
Lieutenant General Edvard Asryan also met Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan and discussed ways to have joint ventures in the development of military hardware.
"General Anil Chauhan CDS held discussions with Lt General Edvard Asryan, Chief of the General Staff of Armenia, during his official visit to India. The General officer was received by the CDS and was accorded a Guard of Honour," Headquarters of Integrated Defence Staff posted on X.
"The engagement reflected the steady advancement of India-Armenia Defence Relations. Both sides also explored avenues for joint ventures in the development of military hardware, reaffirming their shared commitment to a robust, future-oriented and mutually beneficial strategic partnership," it added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I'm glad to see India expanding its global partnerships beyond the usual suspects. Armenia has been a reliable friend, and with both countries facing common challenges like terrorism and changing geopolitics, this cooperation is timely. But I hope we are also careful about not antagonizing other regional powers unnecessarily.
Interesting to see India's diplomatic chess moves. Armenia needs support against Azerbaijan-Turkey axis, and we need friends who understand our concerns about cross-border terrorism. Win-win! But I hope the joint ventures in military hardware are commercially viable and not just political statements.
From a strategic standpoint, this makes excellent sense. India's growing presence in Central Asia via Armenia's Chabahar corridor connectivity, and now this military engagement, shows a coherent foreign policy. The West should take note that India is becoming a serious player in Eurasian security.
Good diplomacy, but I hope we don't get dragged into the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict directly. We should provide support as a trusted partner, but our priority must remain national security first. Also, let's ensure our defence exports to Armenia don't end up in wrong hands through third parties.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.