India-Armenia strategic partnership: A counterweight to the Turkey-Pakistan-Azerbaijan axis

Dipak Kurmi

(dipakkurmiglpltd@gmail.com)

The burgeoning strategic partnership between India and Armenia has taken a significant leap forward, fueled by their mutual determination to bolster defence capabilities and tackle regional security threats head on. Amidst Armenia’s long-standing conflict with Azerbaijan and Turkey’s support for Azerbaijan’s gains, the deepening ties between Armenia and India represent a pivotal shift that demands global recognition. With Armenia’s geographical proximity to India and their shared commitment to diversifying strategic alignments, this emerging alliance warrants heightened attention on the international stage.

The ongoing conflict with Azerbaijan has underscored the need for Armenia to broaden its security partnerships and enhance its military capabilities. This imperative is reflected in the country’s increased defence spending and growing collaborations with nations such as India and France. India’s involvement in Armenia’s military sphere not only bolsters the latter’s defensive preparedness but also serves as a counterweight to the influence of external actors like Turkey and Pakistan in the South Asian region. The multifaceted Indo-Armenian partnership extends beyond mere defence cooperation. It encompasses a spectrum of activities, including the exchange of weaponry, joint military exercises, and strategic consultations. These initiatives are designed to augment the defence readiness and security posture of both nations within their respective regional contexts. Through this deepening partnership, Armenia seeks to diversify its security alliances, reducing overreliance on any single partner and ensuring a more robust and resilient defence framework. Simultaneously, India’s engagement with Armenia aligns with its broader strategic interests in the region, enabling it to counterbalance the influence of rival powers and assert its role as a major player in the geopolitical landscape.

The procurement of cutting-edge armaments underscores the burgeoning defence cooperation between the nations of India and Armenia. Reports indicate an ongoing transfer of military hardware from India to Armenia, encompassing advanced systems such as multiple-launch rocket platforms, anti-armour munitions, and radar installations. Concurrently, the two countries have embarked on a series of joint military exercises and training initiatives, aimed at enhancing operational readiness and interoperability between their respective armed forces. These collaborative endeavours facilitate the reciprocal exchange of expertise and tactical proficiencies, fostering effective coordination mechanisms for potential future operations. Through these joint exercises, intelligence sharing protocols, and demonstrations of military capabilities, both India and Armenia have reaffirmed their commitment to fortifying their strategic partnership.

India’s involvement with Armenia carries significant geopolitical implications, both economic and strategic. The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), in which Armenia plays a pivotal role, presents India with an opportunity to diversify its trade routes and gain enhanced access to Eurasian markets. This development aligns with India’s strategic interests in bolstering economic resilience and maintaining a geopolitical balance in the region. Furthermore, India’s military support for Armenia underscores its commitment to preserving regional stability and acting as a counterweight to the perceived aggressive manoeuvres of the Turkey-Azerbaijan-Pakistan axis. By recognising and pursuing their mutual interests, India and Armenia have the potential to reshape the security dynamics in the South Caucasus region, challenging the dominance of larger geopolitical actors and their support for rogue states. This convergence of economic and strategic interests between India and Armenia represents a strategic realignment that could potentially disrupt the existing power dynamics in the region, reducing the influence of external actors and promoting a more balanced geopolitical landscape.

The trilateral alliance of Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Pakistan represents a formidable force with the potential to disrupt the delicate balance of power in various regions. This axis, forged through shared strategic interests and military cooperation, has raised alarm bells among regional actors concerned about its far-reaching implications. At the heart of this geopolitical dynamic lies Turkey’s unwavering support for Azerbaijan during the volatile Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, a stance that has fueled apprehensions about potential escalations and further destabilisation of the South Caucasus region. Concurrently, the longstanding military partnership between Turkey and Pakistan, characterised by joint defence production initiatives, training exercises, and high-level military dialogues, underscores their shared ambition to advance mutual geopolitical aspirations and exert influence on a broader regional scale. This strategic convergence of interests presents a multifaceted challenge to the security and stability of not only the South Caucasus but also the South Asian region. As this axis seeks to consolidate its power and assert its relevance, it poses a counter-narrative to the influence wielded by other regional stakeholders, setting the stage for potential confrontations and power struggles. The implications of this emerging alliance transcend mere military considerations, as it holds the potential to reshape regional dynamics, realign alliances, and ignite a complex interplay of competing interests, all vying for dominance in their respective spheres of influence.

The growing clout of the Turkey-Azerbaijan-Pakistan alliance has prompted India to bolster its ties with Armenia as a counterweight. India’s unwavering backing of Armenia underscores its determination to thwart the assertive posturing of this axis in the region. To maintain a precarious equilibrium of influence, New Delhi and Yerevan are gearing up to deepen their cooperation, shoring up defences against potential disruptions emanating from this new coalition. As tensions simmer, India’s alignment with Armenia emerges as a strategic move to preserve regional stability and check any aggressive overtures from the Turkey-led bloc.

Turkey’s position on the long-standing Kashmir dispute appears to be intricately tied to Pakistan’s support for Azerbaijan’s regional ambitions. This strategic convergence of interests between Ankara, Islamabad, and Baku can hardly be viewed as a mere coincidence. Instead, it represents a calculated attempt to shape the geopolitical landscape across the Caucasus and South Asia. Faced with this emerging alliance, the pressing requirement for a meticulously crafted multilateral defence cooperation framework becomes evident. Such a collaborative effort is crucial to counterbalance the growing influence of the Turkey-Pakistan-Azerbaijan nexus and maintain regional stability in these volatile yet strategically vital regions.

The burgeoning strategic cooperation between India and Armenia holds profound significance, heralding a new era of enhanced regional security and shared interest pursuit. As these two nations chart a course towards deepening their partnership, they stand poised to confront prevailing challenges through concerted efforts in military collaboration and strategic alignments. India’s unwavering support for Armenia underscores its resolute commitment to fostering peace and stability in the volatile Caucasus region. With wide-ranging implications that could reshape global geopolitical landscapes, this Indo-Armenian partnership carries the potential to dynamically recalibrate the regional balance of power. Simultaneously, it holds the promise of contributing substantially to the stability and prosperity of both the Caucasus and South Asian regions, ushering in a new epoch of regional cooperation and shared progress.