Within the framework of the "RISE Powered by Silicon Mountains 2026" two-day high-tech exhibition and forum, convened for the first time in Armenia on June 3 at the Karen Demirchyan Sports and Concerts Complex, a panel discussion was held on the topic of "The Development of the Military-Industrial Sector in Armenia." The event was attended by Mr. Mkhitar Hayrapetyan, Minister of High-Tech Industry of the Republic of Armenia.

During the discussion, Minister Hayrapetyan addressed recent developments in the defense industry, current challenges, state policies, and human capital development.

Mkhitar Hayrapetyan noted that while Armenia's military-industrial sector is still in its developmental stage, it has already become one of the country's key growth drivers, achieving systemic progress especially over the last five years.

"Our priority is to promote domestic production and unite the efforts of the government, the private sector, and the scientific community to build a competitive military-industrial ecosystem," the Minister said.

The Minister highlighted the Armenian Government's three-year contracting system introduced for defense companies, along with roughly 172 billion AMD in state procurement allocated to the sector. According to him, these state order programs have driven corporate growth and expanded opportunities for long-term planning.

Addressing state funding for Research and Development (R&D), the Minister noted that these programs drive the creation of new knowledge, technological solutions, and innovation. He also emphasized the importance of human capital development, stating that the military-industrial sector fuels demand for scientists and engineers, increases the appeal of tech professions, and unlocks new economic opportunities.

Speaking on the sector's challenges, Mkhitar Hayrapetyan stressed the need for a stable and predictable environment, innovation, and agile decision-making. He highlighted that to succeed in global competition, it is essential to encourage experimentation, respond quickly to changes, and continuously build the sector's capabilities.

At the end of the discussion, the Minister announced that the military-industrial sector's development concept will soon be presented to the Armenian Government and industry representatives.

The panel discussion was moderated by Leonid Nersisyan, Senior Advisor at APRI Armenia. Other participants included Aram Jivanyan, Chairman of the Military-Industrial Committee of the Ministry of High-Tech Industry of Armenia; David Galoyan, Founder and CEO of Davaro LLC; Adam Kablanian, Head of the "Syunik" Investment Fund; Gegham Vardanyan, Director of Advanced Technologies Group (ATG); and Vardan Jhanyan, First Deputy General Director of ZCMC.