The number of information technology and related companies operating in Armenia has increased by more than twelve times since 2018, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on January 16, underlining the government’s push to position the sector as a key driver of economic growth.

“Our statistics say, for example, that compared to 2018, the number of information or technology companies in Armenia has increased by more than 12 times, that is, it has increased by approximately 1,225%,” Pashinyan said at an informal meeting with representatives of the IT, artificial intelligence (AI), telecommunications and broader technology sectors, a government statement said.

The meeting, organised by the Union of Advanced Technology Enterprises, was also attended by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Hakob Arshakyan and High-Tech Industry Minister Mkhitar Hayrapetyan.

Pashinyan said the sector’s financial performance had also strengthened markedly, noting that turnover had risen by 171% since 2018, while employment had increased more than fivefold. He added that beyond official statistics, structural changes were under way, pointing to the nationwide rollout of satellite internet services.

According to the prime minister, Starlink is now operating across Armenia, contributing to “balanced territorial development”. He also highlighted the recent launch of a modern supercomputer at Yerevan State University, describing it as the first such system acquired using state funds.

Pashinyan linked the expansion of the technology sector to closer ties with the United States, calling bilateral relations “strategic” in nature. He said advanced technologies would be introduced at Armenia’s borders and customs posts under the TRIPP project, including at Zvartnots International Airport, alongside the rollout of a biometric passport system.

He also stressed the role of artificial intelligence in improving public administration, including plans to use AI to enhance the Institute for Regulatory Impact Assessment.

“The development of the technological sector is impossible without the development of the education sector,” Pashinyan said. “Therefore, what we are implementing in the general education sector, in preschool education, vocational education, higher and postgraduate sectors, it is all about technologies.”