Tazeen Akhtar
Armenia and India are deepening their cooperation in different sectors, especially defense and military technical spheres that can bring negative impacts for Azerbaijan and Pakistan. Armenia has fought many small and two big wars on Karabakh with Azerbaijan. The latest in Sep to Nov 2020, in which Armenia lost most of illegally occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Pakistan supported Azerbaijan in the war. India has fought many small and four major wars with Pakistan on Kashmir, illegally occupied by India.
Pakistan has not established diplomatic ties with Armenia for its continued aggression and illegal occupation on Azerbaijani lands while Azerbaijan supports Pakistan on Kashmir Issue.
In second Karabakh War, Azerbaijani valiant forces fought bravely against the aggressor and defeated the enemy. Turkish drone technology also played a key role in targeting the Armenian installations accurately. Azerbaijan reportedly purchased some 24 TB2s from Turkey on the eve of the conflict. Indian and Turkish companies were engaged in Dec 2011 to break a deal in which Turkish company was ready to sell 30% of its shares to Indian Company.
As reported in Indian Media and “Pakistan in the World” also highlighted it “Turkish company Zyrone Dynamics, which offers unique UAV solutions using advanced technologies, is preparing to ship its ZCQM multirotor mini-drone to India.
Anadolu Agency (AA) reported: Before the end of the year, Zyrone will ship the first mini multi-rotor drone and subsequent deliveries will continue in batches until 2022. Nearly 100 drones are planned to be delivered next year by the company.
TURKISH DRONES FOR INDIA – THE BEST UAV MANUFACTURING COMPANY SELLS 30% TO INDIAN FIRM
One can believe in Turkey that the technology will not be used against any other country, neither against Pakistan nor Azerbaijan BUT no one in Pakistan can trust India that Modi gov will obey the rules. Armenia is hell bent upon taking revenge of defeat from Azerbaijan and India is habitual of violations of Line of Control by sending drones into Pakistani controlled territories. In Feb 2019, India resorted to extreme with a surgical strike by war planes that was thwarted by Pakistan.
In March 2020, India secured a deal in Armenia to supply locating radars, India Today reported citing government sources.
The contract worth over USD 40 million to supply four Swathi weapon locating radars has been signed with Armenia and supplies have also started.The contract is for four Swathi weapon locating radars which provide fast, automatic and accurate location of enemy weapons like mortars, shells and rockets in a 50 km range.
The radar can simultaneously handle multiple projectiles fired from different weapons at different locations. The Indian Army is also using the same radars for its operations along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.The Armenians also carried out trials of Russian and Polish systems which were found to be good, but they finally chose the Indian system for acquisition, said sources.
The latest development between Armenia and India took place when Armenian-Indian intergovernmental commission held its eighth meeting at Capital city Yerevan on 04 July 2022. Here Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan hinted at enhancing the bilateral cooperation in defense and military technical sectors.
Both countries had a trade volume of about 21 million US dollars in 2016. Now it is more than 181 million US dollars in 2021. This is, no doubt, big leap forward. Armeina, still looks forward to more rise because these figures do not reflect the full potential of bilateral trade and economic cooperation. 2,200 Indian students are studying in Armenia, mostly in medical professions.
Armenian Media reported couple of weeks ago that Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India Sanjay Verma arrived in Armenia on July 4 for the Intergovernmental Commission on Cooperation in the fields of Trade, Economy, Technology, Science, Education and Culture. But after the session , FM Ararat in his statement expressed hope of moving forward in defense and military cooperation as well.
Indian Foreign Minister Jaishankar visited Armenia in October 2021, during which an ambitious roadmap of Armenian-Indian cooperation was developed. This year in April the delegation led by the Armenian Foreign Minister paid a visit to India. During the working visit Ararat Mirzoyan met with the leadership of India, which provided a good opportunity to continue the Armenian-Indian dialogue.
Armenian delegation held dialogue with Indian Foreign Minister Subramanyam Jaishankar last year in Dushanbe, Tajikistan that gave a new impetus to bilateral cooperation. Then, in the fall of last year, Foreign Minister Jaishankar made a very important visit to Armenia, and during that visit, an ambitious roadmap for cooperation was elaborated, which both parties are purposefully implementing.
In April of this year, the Armenian delegation participated in the “Raisina Dialogue” conference, within the framework of which , FM Armenia also held meetings with the leadership of India. Those meetings provided opportunity to continue dialogue. Armenian delegation went to India with a rather serious economic agenda, organizing business forums in New Delhi and Mumbai and thus significantly promoting business to business contacts between our countries.
Armenia is keen to enhancing cooperation in the fields of information technology and communication, pharmaceuticals, science, education,defense and military-technical fields, agriculture, transport, civil aviation, tourism and healthcare. The ongoing discussions in these directions will turn into practical agreements and into new opportunities for both governments and businessmen.
Indian Government is helping Armenia for the implementation of development programs. India is providing technical assistance in the field of high and information technologies.Both countries cooperate effectively in the field of territorial development. In this regard, Memorandum of Understanding has been signed regarding Indian Grant Assistance for Implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects.
It is crystal clear that India and Armenia are deepening their cooperation keeping in specific view the close ties between Pakistan and Azerbaijan. Principally, no country can object on the promotion of bilateral cooperation among any countries but here the case is different.
Armenia and India are situated in far flung regions having no direct communication with no historical connections. At the other side, Pakistan and Azerbaijan enjoy close bonds through the centuries. Multan Sarai in Baku is the proof of historical trade ties between the two countries. The traders who used to travel from Multan city of Pakistan to Baku through Iran would stay at this place. Recently Pakistan has restored this route through truck trade pilot project in which Pakistani National Logistic Cell sent trade goods to Baku via Iran and Turkey.
Pakistani civil and military officials have visited Azerbaijan after the liberation of occupied lands of Azerbaijan. Pakistani companies are taking part in reconstruction of newly liberated territories. The Armies and Air Forces of both countries are enhancing their mutual cooperation in training and other fields.
India and Armenia initiated their regular and rapid engagements only after Pakistan and Azerbaijan strengthened their cooperation in all possible sectors. It is another Afghanistan model. India invested in Afghanistan during Ashraf Ghani’s regime only to damage Pakistani interests there. India is doing the same now in Armenia. Indian presence in Armenia is not only for bilateral purposes but it is to disturb Pakistani engagements in Azerbaijan.
Here we can see Russia as common friend of both Armenia and India. Russia encouraged and supported Armenia in occupying Azerbaijani territories. Russia is historical close partner of India as well. This composition makes Russia a catalyst in Armenian Indian friendship.
Azerbaijan has taken her own decisions after independence from Soviet Union. Azerbaijan takes her own stand in regional matters without toeing the policies of Russian Federation. Therefore, the Trioca of Armenia,India,Russia is becoming a challenge in the South Caucus for both Azerbaijan and Pakistan.
Turkey having brotherly relations with both Pakistan and Azerbaijan, is supposed to clear her position in terms of drone technology shift to India, from where it can be shared with Armenia and Russia.
