Armenia expects India to train fighter pilots for its Su-30SM fighter jets

New Delhi, Jan 13: Reports suggest that Armenia is expecting India to supply weapons and train fighter pilots for its Russian-built Su-30SM Flanker fighter jets. However, the claims are not officially confirmed yet from either sides.

Forbes reports that, India has an enormous fleet of 272 Su-30MKI Flankers, most of them built by New Delhi under license. Aside from operating such a large number of these fighters for 20 years, India has also acquired and developed formidable non-Russian armaments for themselves. Besides, what makes the Indian Su-30MKI different from the Flankers operated across the world is that it is a beautiful integration of various weapons, sensors, and avionics from all over the world.

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According to the reports of The Eurasian Times, "The defense cooperation between India and Armenia has dramatically improved over the past several months. India now appears to be on track to play a significant role in fulfilling Armenia’s defense-related requirements." As per the reports of idrw.org, the Armenian Su-30SM, popularly known as the ‘White Elephant’, that was acquired from Russia in 2020 was a notable absentee from the air war over Nagorno-Karabakh during the 2020 conflict.

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Defense ties between India and Armenia have noticeably increased in recent months. Yerevan became the first foreign customer for the Indian-built Pinaka multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) when it ordered four batteries for an estimated $250 million in 2022.