India’s missile sales to Armenia stir strategic ripples in S Caucasus

By Akbar Novruz

India’s growing defense partnership with Armenia is once again drawing attention. According to the Indian Aerospace Defence News, Yerevan is expected to receive its second batch of Akash-1S surface-to-air missile systems this July—just months after the first delivery began in November 2024. The full deal, valued at over $700 million, covers 15 units of this upgraded Indian air defense platform.

Developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation, the Akash-1S is a modernized version of the original Akash system. It’s designed to defend vital infrastructure and military assets from aerial threats, with capabilities that include a 30-kilometer engagement range, 18 kilometers of altitude coverage, and tracking up to 64 targets while engaging 12 at the same time. Armed with radar-homing missiles and a passive 3D scanning radar, the system is positioned as a significant upgrade to Armenia’s air defense network.

But critics argue that the Akash-1S may not be fully prepared for the realities of modern warfare. Designed primarily for legacy threats like aircraft and cruise missiles, the system faces significant challenges when it comes to newer threats such as kamikaze drones, loitering munitions, and electronic warfare tactics. These fast-evolving technologies are now a central feature of 21st-century conflict zones.

Interestingly, India itself is moving forward with a more advanced successor—the Akash-NG, or Next Generation—suggesting a shift away from the older 1S variant. That raises the question: why is Armenia investing so heavily in a system that its supplier is gradually phasing out?

To better understand the operational and strategic implications of this acquisition, especially for the balance of power in the South Caucasus, Azernews spoke with retired Air Marshal Aamir Masood, a defense analyst and expert in air warfare systems.