Report alleges rise in Indian arms shipments to Armenia despite peace rhetoric

Report alleges rise in Indian arms shipments to Armenia despite peace rhetoric
A military truck transports an unmanned combat aerial vehicle during a military parade marking Republic Day in Yerevan, Armenia, 28 May 2026
Reuters

The Azerbaijani publication Minval Politika alleges that Armenia is quietly strengthening its military capabilities in a manner similar to the period before the Second Garabagh War, despite Baku’s stated efforts to advance peace.  

Report claims surge in military flights

In the report, the publication claims Armenia sharply increased military cargo flights during the first half of 2026, alleging Yerevan accelerated arms deliveries while publicly backing peace efforts with Azerbaijan.

The publication says it does not know whether the Armenian government's objective is revenge or something else, but argues that the reported activity raises serious questions. It adds that the information was obtained from what it describes as reliable sources.

According to the report, the number of flights transporting military cargo from India to Armenia increased tenfold between April and June 2026 compared with the same period in 2025, reaching 10 flights.

Minval Politika claims the shipments were carried by an Armenian Air Force Il-76TD transport aircraft, with the flights passing through Iranian airspace.

The publication further alleges that 18 military aircraft or civilian aircraft capable of transporting military cargo arrived in Armenia during the same three-month period, including four flights from Russia.

Breakdown of alleged deliveries

For the period from January to the end of June 2026, Minval Politika claims there were at least 37 flights by military or military-capable cargo aircraft arriving in Armenia, including 15 from India and others from Russia, Iran, Belgium, Germany, the United Arab Emirates and the Netherlands. 

The publication also alleges that 23 flights passed through Iranian airspace.

Minval Politika described the alleged imports as ‘Indian military scrap’ and cited what it characterised as the poor performance of Indian-made defence equipment during last year’s India-Pakistan confrontation.

The publication concludes that while the Armenian government publicly speaks about peace, it is simultaneously rearming behind the scenes, drawing comparisons with the period before the Second Garabagh War.

AnewZ has not independently verified the flight data or the reported nature of the cargo stated in the Minval Politika report. 

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