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 Armenia |  India |
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| Diplomatic mission | |
| New Delhi | Yerevan |
International relations between Armenia and India have been described as amicable. [1] In 2022, it was reported that the two nations were exploring the possible of long-term military cooperation. [2]
Armenians are believed to have traveled to India, when some Armenians joined the auxiliary elements of the forces under the command of Alexander the Great when he crossed Armenia en route to India. The earliest documented references to the mutual relationship of Armenians and Indians are found in Cyropaedia (Persian Expedition), an ancient Greek work by Xenophon (430 BC – 355 BC). These references indicate that several Armenians travelled to India, and they were well aware of land routes to reach India, as also the general and political geography, socio-cultural milieu, and economic life of the Indian subcontinent. [3] [4]
According to Zenob Glak, one of the first disciples of Gregory the Illuminator, the patron saint of Armenia, at least 7 Hindu cities were established in Armenia sometime around 349 B.C. The institution of Nakharar was founded by Hindu Kings from even earlier. Zenob wrote that the colony was established by two Indian princes from Ujjain who had invaded Armenia. [5] Under the Hindu rulers, the cities flourished until the dawn of Christianity in Armenia in 301 A.D. [6] The ruins of the Saint Karapet Monastery, now in Turkey, stands at the site of the Hindu temples. [7] [8] Literary evidence indicates the existence of Indian settlements in Armenia as early as 149 BC. The settlements were established in Taron, Greater Armenia (roughly corresponding to the Muş Province of present-day Turkey) by two Indian Princes, their families and retinue, on land provided by the then rulers of Armenia. [9] [10]
An archive directory (published 1956) in Delhi states that Armenian merchant-cum-diplomat Thomas of Cana arrived on the Malabar Coast in 780 AD using the overland route. Thomas was an affluent merchant dealing chiefly in spices and muslins. He was also instrumental in obtaining a decree, inscribed on a copperplate, from the Chera Dynasty, which conferred several commercial, social and religious privileges for the regional Saint Thomas Christians. In current local references, Thomas of Cana is known as Knayi Thomman or Kanaj Tomma, meaning "Thomas the merchant". Armenians had trade relations with several parts of India, and by the 7th century a few Armenian settlements had appeared in the present-day state of Kerala on the Malabar Coast. Armenians controlled a large part of the international trade of the area, particularly in precious stones and quality fabrics. [11]
Mughal emperor Akbar (1556–1605), invited Armenians to settle in Agra in the 16th century, [12] and by the middle of the 19th century, Agra had a sizeable Armenian population. Armenian traders visited Agra during the Mughal Empire. By an imperial decree, Armenian merchants were exempted from paying taxes on the merchandise imported and exported by them, and they were also allowed to move around in the areas of the Mughal Empire where entry of foreigners was otherwise prohibited. In 1562, an Armenian Church was constructed in Agra. From the 16th century onwards, the Armenians (mostly from Persia) formed an important trading community in Surat, the most active Indian port of that period, located on the western coast of India. The port city of Surat used to have regular sea borne to and fro traffic of merchant vessels from Basra (in present-day Iraq) and Bandar Abbas (in present-day Iran). Armenians built two Churches and a cemetery in Surat. A tombstone in the city, dating back to 1579, bears Armenian inscriptions. The second Church was built in 1778 and was dedicated to Mary. An Armenian language manuscript written in 1678, currently preserved in Saltikov-Shchedrin Library, St. Petersburg, has an account of a permanent colony of Armenians in Surat. The Armenians settled in Chinsurah, near Calcutta, West Bengal, and in 1697 built a Church there. This is the second oldest Church in Bengal and is still in well preserved on account of the care of the Calcutta Armenian Church Committee.[ citation needed ] In 1712, the Armenian Church of Chennai was built and there was a significant Armenian community in Chennai with valuable contributions to the city. Most notable was Coja Petrus Uscan who built the Marmalong bridge as charity. [13]
Indian President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan visited the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic in September 1964, and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visited in June 1976. [14]
India recognized Armenia on 26 December 1991, three months after it declared independence from the Soviet Union. Diplomatic relations between India and Armenia were established on 31 August 1992. India opened its embassy in Yerevan on 1 March 1999. Armenia, which had opened an honorary consulate in April 1994, established its embassy in New Delhi in October 1999. [15]
Armenian Presidents Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan visited India in 1995, 2003 and 2017 respectively. [16]
In 2019 after an interview with WION, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated that Armenia supports India in the Kashmir conflict between India and Pakistan. [17]
Armenia signed an agreement to purchase four Swathi Weapon Locating Radars for US$40 million from India in March 2020. [18] In September 2022, Armenia signed an agreement worth ₹2,000 crore (US$250 million) to purchase four batteries of Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers, anti-tank rockets, and various types of ammunition from India. [19]
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Armenia and India organised a joint issuing of postage stamps, illustrating the cultural heritage of the two nations. The Indian Manipuri classical dance of Meitei civilization, [20] and the Armenian Hov Arek, are referred to as the "National Dances" (of India and Armenia respectively) during the Armenia-India joint issue of postage stamps. [21] [22] [23]
India has not recognized the Armenian genocide. However, during World War I, when India was under British colonial rule, the country found itself at war against the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor of Turkey. Many Armenians sought refuge in India, most notably in Calcutta. [24] With the relations between India and Turkey worsened since the 2010s, mainly due to Turkey's open support for Pakistan, which also shares similar stance with Turkey, there has been growing call for recognition of the genocide in India. [25] For the first time, under the Premiership of Narendra Modi, the Indian embassy in Armenia has mentioned the genocide and Indian ambassador Kishan Dan Dewal also paid respect to the victims of the genocide in 2021. [26]
Since its independence, Armenia has maintained a policy of trying to have positive and friendly relations with Iran, Russia, and the West, including the United States and the European Union. It has full membership status in a number of international organizations, such as the Council of Europe and the Eurasian Economic Union, and observer status, etc. in some others. However, the dispute over the Armenian genocide of 1915 and the ongoing Nagorno-Karabakh conflict have created tense relations with two of its immediate neighbors, Azerbaijan and Turkey.
The association of Armenians with India and the presence of Armenians in India are very old, and there has been a mutual economic and cultural association of Armenians with India.
The Armenian dance heritage has been considered the oldest and most varied in its respective region. From the fifth to the third millennia B.C., in the higher regions of Armenia, the land of Ararat, there are rock paintings of scenes of country dancing. These dances were most likely accompanied by certain kinds of songs or musical instruments. In the fifth century, Moses of Khoren himself had heard of how the old descendants of Aram make mention of these things in the ballads for the lyre and their songs and dances.
The dissolution of the Soviet Union in December 1991 brought an end to the Cold War and created an opportunity for establishing bilateral relations between the United States with Armenia and other post-Soviet states as they began a political and economic transformation. The United States recognized the independence of Armenia on 25 December 1991, and opened an embassy in Armenia's capital Yerevan in February 1992.
Foreign relations exist between Armenia and Egypt. Egypt was one of the first countries in the Arab world which recognized the independent Armenia in 1991. In March 1992, the diplomatic relations were established between the two countries. In May 1992, the first diplomatic mission of Armenia in the Arab East was inaugurated in Cairo. Egypt has an embassy in Yerevan.
Nikol Vovayi Pashinyan is an Armenian politician serving as the prime minister of Armenia since 8 May 2018. A journalist by profession, Pashinyan founded his own newspaper in 1998, which was shut down a year later for libel. He was sentenced for one year for defamation against then Minister of National Security Serzh Sargsyan. He edited the newspaper Haykakan Zhamanak from 1999 to 2012. A supporter of Armenia's first president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, he was highly critical of second president Robert Kocharyan, Defense Minister Serzh Sargsyan, and their allies. Pashinyan was also critical of Armenia's close relations with Russia, and promoted establishing closer relations with Turkey instead. He led a minor opposition party in the 2007 parliamentary election, garnering 1.3% of the vote.
India–Turkey relations, also called Indian-Turkish relations or Indo-Turkish relations are the bilateral relations between India and Turkey. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and Turkey in 1948, political and bilateral relations have been usually characterised by warmth and cordiality, although some sporadic tensions remain due to Turkey's support for Pakistan, India's rival and India's continued support for Armenia, Greece and Cyprus against Turkey. India has an embassy in Ankara and a consulate–general in Istanbul. Turkey has an embassy in New Delhi and also a consulate-general in Mumbai. As of 2019, the bilateral trade between India and Turkey stood at US$7.8 billion.
Dutch Suratte, officially Nederlandse vestiging van Suratte, was a directorate of the Dutch East India Company between 1616 and 1795, with its main factory in the city of Surat. Surat was an important trading city of the Mughal Empire on the river Tapti, and the Portuguese had been trading there since 1540. In the early 17th century, Portuguese traders were displaced by English and Dutch traders.
Virji Vora was an Indian merchant from Surat during the Mughal era. The East India Company Factory Records describe him as the richest merchant in the world at the time. According to English records, his personal worth is estimated to be worth 8 million rupees, a substantial amount of money at the time. He has been variously described as a "merchant prince," and a "plutocrat."
Bilateral foreign relations exist between the two countries, Armenia and Singapore. Neither country has a resident ambassador. The Embassy of Armenia in Jakarta, Indonesia is accredited to Singapore. Singapore has no representation in Armenia.
Foreign relations exist between Armenia and China. The first references to Armenian-Chinese contact are found in the works of 5th-century historian Moses of Chorene and 6th-century geographer and mathematician Anania Shirakatsi. The People's Republic of China officially recognized Armenia on December 27, 1991. Diplomatic relations between Armenia and the People's Republic of China were established on April 6, 1992. The Embassy of China to Armenia was established in July 1992, while the Embassy of Armenia to China started its activities on August 10, 1996. The Armenian Ambassador to China resides in the Beijing embassy.
Civil Contract is a centrist political party in Armenia. It has been the ruling party of Armenia since the 2018 Armenian parliamentary election, which occurred following the 2018 Armenian Revolution that brought the party's founder, Nikol Pashinyan, to power as prime minister.
India–Sweden relations are the bilateral ties between India and Sweden. Sweden recognised India's independence from the United Kingdom in 1947; both nations established formal diplomatic relations in 1949. India has an embassy in Stockholm, while Sweden has an embassy in New Delhi and honorary consulates in Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai.
India–Slovenia relations are the bilateral relations between India and Slovenia.
India–Luxembourg relations are the foreign relations between India and Luxembourg. Luxembourg has an embassy in New Delhi, whilst the Indian Embassy in Brussels is accredited to Luxembourg.
Bilateral relations exist between Armenia and Iraq. Armenia has an embassy in Baghdad, and Iraq has an embassy in Yerevan.
Bilateral relations exist between Italy and Armenia. Italy has an embassy in Yerevan and Armenia has an embassy in Rome. Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe.
The Assembly of Armenians of Europe (AAE) is a pan-European international organization.
Mughal–Portuguese conflicts refers to the various armed engagements between the forces of the Portuguese Empire in India and the Mughal Empire, between the 16th century and the 18th century.
Cyrus heard that the Chaldaeans made frequent trips to the Indian king
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