Defence Update: India Sends First Akash Weapon System Battery To Armenia, Second Missile Export After BrahMos

India achieved a significant milestone in its defense exports with the dispatch of the first Akash weapon system battery to Armenia, marking the second missile system India exported after BrahMos.

Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), the Akash is a surface-to-air missile (SAM) capable of targeting fighter jets, cruise missiles, drones, and other aerial threats within a 25-kilometer range.

Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), which manufactures the Akash system, equips each battery with a Rajendra 3D passive electronically scanned array radar and four launchers, each armed with three interlinked missiles, The New Indian Express reported.

Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary of Defence Production, officiated the send-off of the first Akash Weapon System Battery to a "Friendly Foreign Country," according to a BEL statement on Monday, highlighting India's expanding defense manufacturing and export capabilities.

The export of the Akash Missile System was approved by the Union Cabinet in December 2020. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh noted that the export version of the Akash missile differs from the model used by the Indian armed forces and emphasised that over 96 per cent of its components are sourced domestically.

The Akash was first inducted into the Indian Air Force in 2014 and into the Indian Army in 2015. In 2022, Armenia agreed to acquire 15 Akash systems in a deal worth approximately Rs 6,000 crore, making it the first country to purchase this system from India.

The same year, India secured a major export contract with the Philippines to supply BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, the first major defense export order for the country. The Philippines received its initial BrahMos shipment in April, marking the completion of this landmark deal.

The Akash system is highly mobile and can be deployed on both wheeled and tracked vehicles. BEL supported the deal by supplying critical Ground Support Equipment, including Surveillance Radars, Missile Guidance Radars, and C4I systems.

Interest in the Akash system has been shown by countries like Vietnam, Egypt, and the Philippines. Traditionally, Armenia has relied on Russia for defense, with 94 per cent of its arms imports from 2011 to 2020 sourced from Russia. While Armenia and Azerbaijan engage in peace talks, both nations continue to enhance their military capabilities.