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A five-member high-level delegation from the Armenian Armed Forces visited a frontline Indian Air Force (IAF) station under the Western Air Command on Thursday, deepening strategic ties and military-to-military engagement between India and Armenia.
The media coordination centre of the IAF announced the visit of the delegation in a post on X. Led by Major General Alexander Tsakanyan, the delegation undertook a comprehensive guided tour of the air base's operational and maintenance facilities. The visit offered the Armenian leadership direct insights into the IAF's operational procedures, fleet maintenance standards, and technical support infrastructure. "Strengthening IndiaArmenia Defence Cooperation: A five-member delegation of the Armenian Armed Forces, led by Maj Gen Alexander Tsakanyan, visited an Indian Air Force station under Western Air Command. The delegation undertook a guided tour of operational and maintenance facilities," the post read. "The visit strengthened military-to-military engagement. It fostered mutual understanding, knowledge sharing and operational interoperability. It also reaffirmed the enduring defence ties between India and Armenia," it added. https://x.com/iaf_mcc/status/2097950829571408255?s=48 The delegation's visit underlines the growing momentum in defence and strategic ties between New Delhi and Yerevan, driven by expanding capacity-building efforts, joint technical collaboration, and defence procurement partnerships. Earlier in April, then Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan held a meeting with Armenia's Chief of the General Staff, Lt General Edvard Asryan, in the national capital, where the two leaders discussed avenues for joint ventures in the development of military hardware. Upon his arrival for the official visit, Lt General Edvard Asryan was received by the then CDS and accorded a ceremonial Guard of Honour. "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," the Headquarters of Integrated Defence Staff (IDS HQ) posted on X. The high-level engagement reflects the steady advancement of India-Armenia defence relations. During the talks, both sides explored potential joint ventures for military equipment, reaffirming a shared commitment to a "robust, future-oriented, and mutually beneficial strategic partnership." This meeting followed a four-day visit to Armenia by an Indian defence delegation led by Chauhan in February. During that visit, he called on Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to discuss emerging opportunities for collaboration and methods to further strengthen strategic cooperation. Regarding that interaction, the IDS HQ had stated on X, "General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff CDS, accompanied by the Indian Delegation, interacted with His Excellency Mr Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, exchanging views on the evolving Geopolitical Landscape and prevailing Security Environment. The discussions also highlighted emerging opportunities for collaboration and avenues to further strengthen Bilateral Defence and Strategic Cooperation." During the same tour, the then CDS met with Armenia's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Robert Abisoghomonyan, to exchange perspectives on the regional security environment and bilateral issues. "General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff CDS, accompanied by the Indian Delegation, interacted with His Excellency Mr Robert Abisoghomonyan, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Armenia, exchanging perspectives on the security environment and bilateral issues," the IDS HQ added in a separate post. The Indian delegation also held extensive discussions with Armenia's Defence Minister Suren Papikyan. The dialogue focused on bolstering defence ties across various security domains concerning both nations. (ANI)
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