Multiple-firing weapons: how India fooled Armenia

The 2025 state budget allocates 8 billion manats for defense and security needs, with approximately 5 billion of that amount set aside for the purchase of weapons. However, there is not a single manat in this budget intended for the purchase of Indian weapons. This issue has gained attention in light of recent discussions surrounding reports that appeared some time ago in an Indian media outlet. The article claimed that Azerbaijan allegedly reached out to India through a third country to purchase weapons, but India supposedly declined.

The origin of this information remains unclear, and we can only speculate about its source. Let’s assume it’s just hearsay, as there is no indication of where the story came from, and frankly, it doesn’t matter. What is important is that our neighbors seem to have taken this idea to heart, perhaps with even more enthusiasm for India, the land of elephants and ATAGS howitzers. Finally, they seem to have obtained something that wasn’t available to everyone. For a long time, Armenia struggled with its inability to procure weapons from Israel, but now, it seems they have found their answer.

To clarify, Azerbaijan has never considered India as a source for arms purchases. The country has never approached India, neither officially nor unofficially, about acquiring weapons. Additionally, Azerbaijan does not rely on third countries to address strategic matters, such as the procurement of weapons. If a representative of a friendly country to Baku raised the issue of arms sales to Armenia in a private conversation with an Indian general, that does not mean Azerbaijan is "probing the ground." Our military does not require Indian weapons.

There are several reasons for this. Azerbaijan is highly selective when it comes to military purchases, always striving to acquire the best available. The Indian military-industrial complex, however, cannot be regarded as a top-tier manufacturer. In fact, it is far from it.

India is more of an importer than an exporter of weapons. According to a report published by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) in March of this year, India is one of the largest arms importers globally. Over the past two decades, India has spent $60 billion on foreign weapons and plans to increase this figure to $100 billion.

It’s worth noting that Armenia seems to have found a model in India. Despite being a nuclear power and one of the world’s 20 largest economies, with the third-largest number of dollar millionaires, India’s spending $100 billion on weapons is a questionable decision. Around 70% of India’s population lives below the poverty line, half of its settlements lack running water and sanitation, and the country, despite earning billions from pharmaceutical exports, faces a high infant mortality rate. Additionally, 80% of the population has no access to medical services due to the lack of insurance.

Armenia, similarly, has increased its military budget to 10% of total expenditures, despite being mired in social and economic problems. These billions are urgently needed for the development of the country, yet they will go to India in exchange for weapons of questionable quality. Moreover, Armenia is the first and only importer of certain types of Indian weaponry. There is speculation that India expects Armenia to become involved in another conflict, which would provide an opportunity to test these weapons in real combat. Hopefully, this remains a mere assumption.

Former Defense Minister Arshak Karapetyan told the Armenian media that India sells weapons to Yerevan at a high price and without any quality guarantees. According to him, the items purchased from India are in unusable condition. The ex-minister claims that he has a document confirming that "Indian-made weapons have been impossible to repair or restore to a usable condition for a year." In fact, India has deceived Armenia.

Under the signed contract, India is set to supply 90 ATAGS howitzers to Armenia. Armenia expects these purchases to significantly strengthen its artillery. However, there is one notable fact: the Indian armed forces themselves have not adopted this product. Why is that? According to Indian media, these howitzers have been tested for several years but without success. Moreover, they are more expensive than their foreign counterparts. There are no domestic buyers for these products—only Armenia has managed to purchase them. The Philippines also signed a contract, but they are in no rush to implement it.

So, does Azerbaijan need dubious Indian weapons when our country is already partnering with the world’s best manufacturers in this regard?

A WORD TO THE EXPERT

Military expert, former corps commander, recipient of the Order of the Azerbaijani Banner, Reserve Colonel Shair Ramaldanov:

"As far as I can tell from the information I have, Azerbaijan has shown no interest in Indian weapons. The fake story was probably spread at the suggestion of the Armenian side or by the manufacturers themselves, who are trying to raise their price. These rumors are nothing more than wishful thinking.

I believe the Armenians themselves are not enthusiastic about Indian weapons. According to Armenian media, buyers have been disappointed with the purchases. This is especially true for the howitzers, which can fire conventional ammunition up to a distance of 48 kilometers, and up to 70 kilometers in the rocket version. The fact is that of the 6 guns that have already arrived from India to Armenia, 2 have failed, and another one revealed problems, though these were later resolved. The Armenian military has raised concerns with the Indian side regarding the optical sights of these guns. The mechanism that allows the howitzer to rotate and change position during firing is also malfunctioning. It has been reported that the Indian side has committed to fixing the identified issues, and until then, the supply of howitzers to Armenia has been suspended."

Indian weapons are not in demand. Armenia is essentially the only buyer. India's pavilions at international defense exhibitions are often empty. Indian weapons have many technical flaws, which likely explains their lack of demand, with Armenia being the sole purchaser. After Armenia started buying, India began actively promoting these purchases to show that it has buyers abroad.

As for Azerbaijan, it supports military-technical cooperation with countries that have already earned respect in the global arms market. Notable examples include Turkey, Israel, Belarus, and Russia. The weapons from these countries were tested in the field during the Second Karabakh War and proved that their military-industrial complexes are highly developed.

The Turkish military-industrial complex is considered one of the most advanced in the world. For instance, the Bayraktar UAVs, which demonstrated outstanding performance during the 44-day war, significantly boosted demand for Turkish drones following the conflict.

In other words, there is no need for Azerbaijan to buy weapons from India. Azerbaijan treats the issue of arms procurement with great seriousness and strict oversight. Decisions are made by a competent commission that carefully considers all pros and cons. Especially after the Second Karabakh War, Azerbaijan buys weapons from countries whose military-industrial complex products have been tested in combat and proven their effectiveness. India is not one of them.