Indian Joint Venture Begins Strategic Air Cargo Exports to Armenia

A transport company in India has partnered with an aeronautics firm to form a joint working group to begin strategic air cargo exports to Armenia.

The joint working group named HALCON has been formed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Container Corporation of India (CONCOR). CONCOR is a transport company specializing in shipping large cargo, while HAL is a company special in aeronautics with ties to India’s defense industry.

An inaugural flight to Armenia, attended by the chief operating officer of HAL, “marks a pivotal moment in India’s logistics infrastructure and strategic export capabilities,” the Indian Defense Research Wing, a publication centered on military and defense news, reported on Sunday.

In September 2022, Armenia agreed to buy $250 million in military equipment from India, while in November of last year, the Armenian government announced further investment in Indian military hardware.

According to the deal, India will supply Armenia with arms and ammunition, including the export of Indian-manufactured Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers that are already being used by the Indian military. The deal also includes anti-tank rockets, as well as range of other arms and ammunition.
In November, the Indian news website Euarasiantimes.com reported that Yerevan has signed a $41 million supply contract with the Indian company manufacturing the Zen Anti-Drone System.

Yerevan has begun diversifying its military capabilities, with India and France becoming two countries to supply Armenia with military hardware. Last week, Greece, another country with a military cooperation agreement with Armenia, said it welcomed Yerevan’s partnerships with India and France and was interested in collaborating within that realm.

“Acquisition of military hardware, for example, from Russia has gone from 96 percent to below 10 percent. This means that Armenia is undertaking diversification and is forming alliances with not only with the West, but elsewhere, such as Asia and India,” Armenia National Security chief Armen Grigoryan recently announced.

The establishment on the joint venture signifies a concerted effort to capitalize on opportunities in the global market, particularly in regions with strategic significance such as Armenia. As geopolitical dynamics evolve, there is an increasing demand for reliable and efficient logistics solutions to facilitate international trade and commerce, the IDRW reported.

“By venturing into the business of handling strategic air cargo exports, HALCON aims to position itself as a key player in India’s logistics landscape. The partnership leverages HAL’s expertise in aerospace and defense technology alongside CONCOR’s proficiency in containerized cargo transport and logistics management,” the military news site added, saying that Armenia, with its strategic location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, presents a lucrative market for Indian exports.

HALCON’s entry into Armenia’s air cargo market not only strengthens bilateral trade relations, but also enhances India’s presence in the region.