India comes to Armenian defence; IAF’s Sukhoi Su-30MKI to counter Azerbaijan’s Pak-sold 40 JF-17C Block III Thunders

As expected by many, Armenia is reportedly preparing to counter Azerbaijan's defence deal with Pakistan by approaching New Delhi. Baku's $4.6 billion defence deal with Pakistan to acquire 40 JF-17C Block III Thunder fighters is a bolt to Armenia, which has quickly come to the conclusion that bringing home the Sukhoi Su-30MKI could avoid the balance in airpower from tilting.

FULL STORY | Will Armenia lean towards India as Pakistan begins delivery of JF-17C Thunder jets to Azerbaijan?

Yerevan will certainly explore several options before settling on the fighter jet to counter the JF-17C Thunders, but given the price range of alternative options, Sukhoi Su-30MKIs hold an edge, reports said. India-built Su-30MKIs. With political alignments also to be factored in, both New Delhi and Yerevan are likely to pursue the 'enemy of my enemy's friend' line and boost the deal. The South Caucasus nation reportedly wants to get eight to twelve Su-30MKIs initially.

 

India's Akash-1S system is already part of Armenia's air defence since 2024 and a second batch expected to be delivered soon, Defence Security Asia said in a report. In March 2025, the nation's Foreign Minister visited India and the two countries signed MoUs for cooperation in regulating medical products and diplomatic training. The same month, Armenia’s Ambassador to India, Vahagn Afyan, met with Vishwesh Negi, the Joint Secretary of International Cooperation at the Indian Ministry of Defense.

 

It is said that Armenia was influenced by the rumours of IAF's Rafale jets failing to be flawless during 'Operation Sindoor', which ultimately resulted in the country choosing Su-30MKI over the French alternative, Defence Security Asia said.

 

Russian-made Su-30SMs, acquired in 2019, and Soviet-era Su-25s, guard Armenian skies as things stand, but they will struggle against the Sino-Pak JF-17Cs which are fourth generation jets.

 

IAF's Su-30MKIs 

 

Sukhoi Su-30MKI is a two-seater, multi-role air superiority fighter developed by Russian aircraft maker Sukhoi and built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Based on the Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft, Su-30 MKI is equipped with thrust vectoring control and canards, and is considered to be a cornerstone of the Indian Air Force (IAF) combat fleet. HAL has played a pivotal role in its licence production and integration of indigenous systems.

 

Developed through a collaboration between Sukhoi Design Bureau of Russia and HAL, Sukhoi Su-30MKI, a variant of the Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30, is specifically tailored to meet the demands of the IAF. The aircraft, which is now a major part of the Indian Navy's defence capabilities, can reach speeds up to Mach 2 and has a combat range of 3,000 km, extendable to 8,000 km with in-flight refuelling.

 

Earlier reports had suggested that HAL is pushing for the proposal of the IAF to add as many as 72 Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter jets to its fleet. The Nashik facility of the HAL, originally established as a dedicated hub for the Su-30MKI, is being tasked to meet the urgent production demands of this fighter aircraft.

 

Sino-Pak JF-17s 

 

The JF-17Cs are developed jointly by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) from China. Capable of gaining speeds of around 1,909 km/h, this versatile combat jet can typically carry a total payload of 3,400 kg. Originally intended to be a low-cost rival to the reputed Russian Su-30MKI and MiG-29, as well as the French Mirage-2000, Pakistan is said to have lost at least a couple of JF-17Cs to India's long-range missiles during Operation Sindoor.

Defence