India’s Weapons, Armenia’s Trust: How Strategic Ties Saved Indian Lives in Iran
India’s foreign policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has often been lauded for its assertiveness, but rarely has it proven more effective — and human — than during the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict. On June 17, Armenia stepped up to help India evacuate 110 Indian students stranded in Iran. This humanitarian gesture wasn’t a coincidence — it was the result of a five-year strategic defense partnership, where India had armed Armenia with cutting-edge indigenous military technology and ammunition, reinforcing not just bilateral ties, but trust.
India-Armenia Defense Ties Bear Fruit in Real-Time Crisis
In just 5 years, India armed Armenia with SWATHI radars, Pinaka rocket systems, ATGMs, ATAGS guns, Akash SAMs & over 5M rounds of ammo.
— The Analyzer (News Updates🗞️) (@Indian_Analyzer) June 17, 2025
~ Today, Armenia helped India evacuate 110 students from #Iran via its border.
That’s Modi-era diplomacy. This is New India🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/f8YbKh89Bh
Over the past half-decade, India has emerged as a critical defense supplier to Armenia — a landlocked nation facing rising threats in its neighborhood. Under Modi’s leadership, India provided Armenia with SWATHI Weapon Locating Radars, Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers, ATGMs, ATAGS towed artillery guns, Akash surface-to-air missile systems, and over 5 million rounds of ammunition.
This defense cooperation, born out of Armenia’s security needs and India’s growing clout as an arms exporter, has now gone beyond military ties. When Iran became a conflict zone, Armenia opened its border to facilitate the evacuation of Indian students — a gesture not just of goodwill, but of strategic solidarity.
It reflects a deeper truth: Modi-era diplomacy is not just about high-level summits — it’s about creating dependable partners in geopolitically sensitive regions through actionable support. As the Middle East sees rising tensions, India’s move to strengthen allies like Armenia ensures that Indians are not left stranded in global hotspots.
India’s “New Diplomacy” — built on trust, trade, and tech — is paying off in ways that save lives. And that’s not just good optics — that’s good statecraft.
