By Eduard Arakelyan
Armenia-India defense cooperation in the field of rocket artillery is entering a new phase. Deliveries of guided rockets for Pinaka multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS), the involvement of several major Indian manufacturers, and prospects for further production expansion point to the emergence of a sustained area of cooperation. Armenia has become the first foreign customer to acquire the guided version of this system, while the fulfillment of the Armenian contract is significant not only for bilateral relations but also for the development of India’s defense exports.
According to an India Today report published on November 4, 2026, Indian company Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited has exported a batch of 700 guided rockets for the Pinaka MLRS to Armenia. In Armenia, the system has been designated Shant.
On January 18, 2026, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off the shipment of rockets from the company’s manufacturing facility. The event marked an important milestone in India’s defense export program, demonstrating the country’s readiness to supply foreign customers with advanced precision-guided rocket munitions.
Armenia received the guided version of Pinaka, with a range of approximately 75–80 km, before similar munitions were inducted into the regular Indian Army.
The Armenian order is also significant for India itself. According to Solar Defence and Aerospace Limited, following the signing of the contract with Armenia, several other countries expressed interest in acquiring the Pinaka system. The company identifies its relatively low cost, precision-strike capabilities, and growing confidence in the Indian defense industry among the factors behind its appeal.
Implementation of the 2,000-Guided-Rocket Contract
Additional information about the structure of the program was provided by Apollo Micro Systems management during an investor conference call on October 26, 2026. According to the information disclosed, three Indian companies, Solar Industries, Munitions India Limited (MIL), and Bharat Forge, are involved in fulfilling a major export contract for Armenia, with a total volume of 2,000 guided Pinaka rockets.
The contract was signed earlier, during the 2025 financial year. The current shipment of 700 units by Solar Defence therefore appears to represent one of the delivery batches under this program.
At the same time, India’s defense sector is preparing to finalize a corresponding order for another 2,000 similar rockets for the Indian Army itself. The contract is expected to be signed by the end of December 2026. This would bring the combined short-term demand for 80-km-range Pinaka rockets to 4,000 units, with Armenia’s export order accounting for exactly half of the total.
Cooperation Within India’s Defense Industry
An important feature of the program is the involvement of several major companies from India’s defense-industrial sector. Solar Industries is one of the principal manufacturers of rocket munitions. Munitions India Limited, a state-owned company with a broad manufacturing base, and Bharat Forge are also involved in fulfilling the Armenian order.
Apollo Micro Systems occupies a separate but important role. The company specializes in the development and production of guidance system components, onboard electronics, and hardware.
Notably, these companies are also competing for participation in future projects, including the development of a new Pinaka variant with a range of up to 120 km. India’s Ministry of Defense has not yet selected the final production partner for this version.
The Significance of Pinaka for Armenia
The acquisition of guided Pinaka rockets represents a qualitative improvement in Armenia’s rocket artillery capabilities. The transition from conventional unguided rockets designed to strike area targets to guided munitions makes it possible to combine the range of rocket artillery with significantly greater accuracy.
A range of approximately 80 km expands the ability to strike military installations, artillery positions, command posts, and other targets in the operational depth of an adversary’s territory. Meanwhile, greater accuracy reduces ammunition consumption when carrying out specific fire missions. Combined with other artillery and missile systems being acquired by Armenia, guided Pinaka munitions could become an important component of a multilayered fire-support system.
More broadly, these deliveries reflect the changing nature of Armenia-India defense cooperation. India continues to establish itself as one of Armenia’s key partners in modernizing its missile and artillery capabilities.
Prospects
For Yerevan, the importance of this cooperation lies not only in acquiring modern rocket systems but also in establishing a long-term mechanism for the supply of precision-guided munitions. In this regard, it would be strategically beneficial for Armenia to consider establishing Pinaka rocket assembly facilities on its territory and, at a later stage, localizing certain stages of their production.
Given Armenia’s geographical constraints, its lack of direct access to the sea, and its dependence on complex transit routes, the regular supply of large quantities of ammunition from abroad entails additional logistical risks. Localizing assembly would make it possible to establish a more resilient supply system for the armed forces, reduce dependence on external deliveries, and lay the groundwork for developing domestic production capabilities for precision-guided munitions.
For India, this could also represent a logical next step in defense cooperation under the concept of technology transfer: moving beyond the delivery of finished products toward deeper industrial cooperation.
The article was originally published on CivilNet.