Armenian arms market shifts from Russian dominance to diversity
Armenia, which has been closely allied with Russia for many years and armed itself with Russian-originating weapons, has started to look in other directions. Reports from the Unian agency reveal that Russians are worried about being completely ousted from the Armenian arms market, citing the war in Ukraine as an indirect reason.
The portal of the Russian daily "Vedomosti," after evaluating the latest report from the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), noted that Yerevan signed its most recent defence contract with Moscow in 2021, worth $400 million (€356 million). However, this agreement remains unfulfilled. Since then, Yerevan has allocated significantly larger sums for military equipment, which now goes elsewhere.
Armenia arms itself in India and France
In 2022-2023, Armenia primarily signed defence contracts with India, valued at over $1.5 billion (€1.3 billion). As a result, Armenia acquired, among other things, Pinaka missile systems with a calibre of 203 mm, ATAGS artillery systems with a calibre of 152 mm, anti-drone systems, Akash air defence systems, and various types of ammunition.
The second key partner for Armenia has been one of the NATO powers, France. Yerevan signed contracts in 2023-2024 worth approximately $250 million (€223 million). This included Ground Master 200 radars, short-range Mistral air defence systems, and 155 mm Caesar self-propelled artillery systems, which are increasingly popular due to favourable reviews from Ukrainian soldiers.
They used to buy weapons exclusively from Russia
Data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reveals that from 2011 to 2020, Russia's share of Armenia's arms imports reached up to 94 percent. By 2024, it had dropped to just 10 percent, as confirmed by Armen Grigoryan, a representative of the Security Council of the Republic of Armenia.
According to the RIAC report, Russia’s sharp drop in arms exports to Armenia is attributed to challenges in fulfilling deliveries, which stem from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
A potential resurgence of Russia in this market is unlikely to be helped by the strategic partnership agreement signed between the United States and Armenia in January 2025.
