Amid growing global interest in indigenous multi-barrel rocket launchers (MBRL), India has begun supplying the highly capable Pinaka rockets to Armenia.
The supplies of the DRDO-developed rocket launchers coincide with India’s deliveries of the Akash air defence missile system to the country. The first lot of the Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher systems has been supplied to Armenia, defence sources said.
The Pinaka rocket launchers are highly capable weapon systems, with variants that can strike targets over 80 km. The contract between Indian firms and Armenia for these weapons was signed about two years ago after extended negotiations.
Armenia is one of the three largest buyers of Indian weapons and equipment, alongside the US and France. A number of countries from Southeast Asia and Europe have expressed interest in the Pinaka rockets, whose multiple variants have been developed in recent times. The Indian Army is also looking to induct them on a large scale.
The DRDO recently conducted important tests of the guided Pinaka rockets, which are produced by Nagpur-based Solar Industry’s Economic Explosives Limited in collaboration with government-owned Munitions India Limited. France has also shown interest in acquiring this weapon system.
Named after the Hindu god Shiva’s divine bow, French interest in the rocket system was expressed during a high-level visit by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan earlier this year.
India has been actively promoting indigenous systems in export markets, achieving a threefold increase in exports since 2014. Notably, France is the second-largest importer of Indian defence equipment after the US, with significant volumes of electronics items exported there from India.
