CDS Gen Chauhan, Armenian defence minister discuss ways to strengthen ties

New Delhi: Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan met Armenian Defence Minister Suren Papkyan and held discussions on strengthening bilateral cooperation and a range of security matters concerning the two countries, officials said on Tuesday. An Indian delegation led by Gen Chauhan is currently on an official visit to Armenia. In a series of posts on X, the Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) shared updates on the four-day visit, along with photographs. “General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Defence Staff, leads the Indian delegation for an office call on Mr Suren Papkyan, Minister of Defence, Armenia. Discussions focused on strengthening defence cooperation across a range of security issues concerning both nations,” the HQ IDS posted.

In another post, it said the CDS visited the National Defense Research University (NDRU) in the Armenian capital Yerevan, where he addressed faculty and students on the evolving global security environment, structural transformation and emergence of technology as a key determinant of power. “He (Gen Chauhan) talked about the changing nature of war with emphasis on revolution in military affairs. He highlighted that technology is changing the character of war, especially as we graduate towards multi-domain operations. He also covered the nuances of the new domains of warfare, viz, cyber, EW, space and cognitive,” the HQ IDS said. On Monday, it said the visit marked an “important step” in taking forward shared strategic interests and enhancing long-term defence and security collaboration between the two nations. In another post on X, it said, "Chief of Defence Staff inaugurated IT lab and distance learning centre at Vazgen Sargsyan Military Academy of the armed forces of Armenia at Yerevan.” During his visit, Gen Chauhan also has laid a wreath at the Armenian Genocide Memorial & Museum in Yerevan.