Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, 8 June congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the victory of his Civil Contract Party in Armenia's parliamentary elections, expressing his intent to deepen the bilateral relationship between India and Armenia. Modi's message came swiftly after preliminary results confirmed the ruling party's commanding performance at the polls.

Modi's Message to Pashinyan

In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi wrote: 'Congratulations to Mr. Nikol Pashinyan on the impressive victory of the Civil Contract Party in the parliamentary elections. The renewed mandate reflects the enduring trust and confidence of the people of Armenia in your leadership and vision. I look forward to working closely with you to further deepen the warm and historic ties of friendship and cooperation between India and Armenia.'

The statement signals New Delhi's intent to build on what has been a notably active diplomatic and defence engagement with Yerevan over the past year.

Armenia Election Results

Pashinyan's Civil Contract Party secured 49.825% of the vote in Sunday's parliamentary elections, according to preliminary data from Armenia's Central Electoral Commission (CEC). The Strong Armenia bloc finished second with 23.281%, the 'Armenia' bloc received 9.934%, and the Prosperous Armenia Party garnered 3.996%, according to reports from Armenia-based outlet News Am.

The result hands Pashinyan a fresh mandate and consolidates his grip on government, reinforcing the continuity of his foreign policy orientation — which has included a notable warming toward India.

Growing Defence Ties

The election congratulations come against the backdrop of deepening India-Armenia defence engagement. Last month, Lieutenant General Edvard Asryan, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia, undertook an official visit to New Delhi. During the trip, he held meetings with Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, and Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan.

Discussions spanned the current geostrategic situation, strengthening defence cooperation, expanding military engagement, interoperability, and joint ventures in military hardware development, according to the Indian Army's Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI). Lieutenant General Asryan also met Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh to discuss bilateral defence cooperation.

Armenia's Role in Evacuating Indian Nationals

Armenia's strategic value to India was underscored earlier this year when Yerevan facilitated the evacuation of Indian nationals stranded in Iran amid rising tensions in West Asia. On 5 April, 345 Indian fishermen arrived safely in Chennai after being evacuated through Armenia. A subsequent batch of 312 Indian fishermen was also safely brought back to India via the same route.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar publicly thanked the Armenian government and his counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan for enabling the safe transit. In a post on X, Jaishankar wrote: 'Another 312 Indian fishermen safely evacuated from Iran to India through Armenia. Thank the Government of Armenia and my friend Ararat Mirzoyan for making it possible.'

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed the evacuations were part of India's continued efforts to ensure the safety of its nationals in conflict-affected regions. This goodwill has visibly anchored the bilateral relationship in a new register of mutual trust.

What Comes Next

With Pashinyan securing a fresh mandate and India's defence and diplomatic outreach already at an elevated tempo, both governments are expected to formalise further cooperation frameworks. The pattern of high-level military visits, humanitarian collaboration, and now a direct congratulatory signal from Modi suggests that the India-Armenia partnership is moving well beyond a ceremonial bilateral into substantive strategic territory.