India's defence exports surged to an all-time high of 3.56 billion euros in fiscal year 2025-26, a 63 per cent jump from the 2.39 billion euros recorded in 2024-25, according to a report by Austria-based military magazine Militar Aktuell. The milestone underscores India's rapid emergence as a credible global arms supplier, with 145 Indian exporters now catering to more than 80 countries.

BrahMos Leads the Export Charge

The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile remains the flagship of India's defence export drive and its highest-selling system. Its performance during Operation Sindoor against terror targets in Pakistan in 2025 has reportedly generated significant international interest in the system. Several BrahMos missile batteries have been delivered to the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia, with those three orders alone estimated to be worth over one billion euros.

Breadth of India's Defence Portfolio

Citing data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), the magazine noted that India has supplied major conventional weapons to at least 23 countries. Key markets include the United States, France, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Armenia. Beyond BrahMos, India's export basket spans artillery systems and mortars, radars, fast patrol boats, guard ships, the Dhruv light multipurpose helicopter, WhAP 8×8 protected wheeled vehicles for Morocco, armoured vehicles, electronic warfare systems, and body armour. Notably, India's bid to sell Pinaka multiple rocket launchers to France signals its ambition to compete in the most demanding and competitive Western markets.

India-Armenia Defence Partnership Deepens

The bilateral defence relationship with Armenia has emerged as a standout success story. During Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh's two-day visit to Yerevan on 16 and 17 August, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in defence research, development, innovation, and joint production. The partnership traces its origins to March 2020, when Armenia signed a contract for four Swathi artillery reconnaissance radars worth approximately 35 million euros — making it the first foreign customer for the Indian system, with India outcompeting Russian and Polish rivals. The 44-day Nagorno-Karabakh war in 2020 and Armenia's subsequent strategic distancing from Russia are cited as catalysts for the accelerated partnership.

Armenian Military Delegation Visits IAF Station

Last week, a five-member delegation of the Armenian Armed Forces, led by Major General Alexander Tsakanyan, visited an Indian Air Force (IAF) station under Western Air Command and undertook a guided tour of operational and maintenance facilities. The IAF said in a post on X that the visit 'strengthened military-to-military engagement' and 'fostered mutual understanding, knowledge sharing and operational interoperability,' reaffirming 'the enduring defence ties between India and Armenia.'

What This Signals for India's Strategic Posture

The record export figure represents a broader strategic shift: India is no longer a predominantly defence-import-dependent nation. The Asia-Pacific region is the current focus, but inroads into Europe — through the Pinaka bid and Armenia — suggest an expanding geographic ambition. This comes amid a global arms market reshaped by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has both exposed supply-chain vulnerabilities in Russian-aligned states and created openings for alternative suppliers like India. All eyes will be on whether the next fiscal year sustains this growth trajectory and whether key deals, including with France, materialise.