India has achieved a major breakthrough in its defence export capabilities. Yantra India Limited, a public sector undertaking, has successfully dispatched the first batch of its advanced ‘Guided Pinaka’ rocket pods from its production facility in Nagpur to Armenia. This shipment signifies a landmark achievement for India’s growing defence manufacturing sector.

Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Guided Pinaka is a sophisticated upgrade of the multi-barrel rocket launcher system. It integrates Inertial Navigation and GPS guidance, significantly enhancing accuracy compared to previous versions. Capable of striking targets with high precision at a range of approximately 75 kilometers, the system is designed to be deployed via truck-mounted launchers, with each pod carrying six rockets.

The strategic defence agreement with Armenia is valued at ₹200–300 crore initially, with the total contract, including training and logistics, estimated to exceed ₹1,000 crore. Formed in 2021 following the corporatization of the Ordnance Factory Board, Yantra India Limited is spearheading the government’s push to transform India into a global defence export hub. This delivery not only strengthens ties with Armenia but also establishes India as a reliable supplier of high-precision weapon systems on the international stage.