Mandatory military service will be reduced: What is changing from 2026
The term of mandatory military service in Armenia will be reduced from 24 months to 18 months, effective January 1, 2026. The National Assembly adopted the draft law on making amendments to the “Law on Military Service and Status of Servicemen” in the second reading and in its entirety.
Sixty-five (65) deputies voted in favor of the bill, 4 voted against, and 20 abstained. The change applies exclusively to citizens who will be called up for mandatory military service starting from January 2026. This means it does not apply to servicemen already serving. In this case, those conscripted in the summer of 2025 will serve longer than other soldiers of the same age who are called up starting from 2026.
According to government representatives, the reduction of the mandatory service term was made possible due to the expansion of contract military service and the increase in its attractiveness. The Ministry of Defense emphasizes that a number of programs and reforms have been implemented in recent years, including the “Defender of the Homeland” initiative, the introduction of the certification system, and the formation of a professional sergeant system.
In the initial stage of the draft discussions, it was planned that this change would apply to the summer conscription of 2026, but following an announcement by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, it was decided to put it into effect from the beginning of the year.
At the same time, critical viewpoints were also voiced in the parliament. Some opposition deputies and experts view the reduction of the service term as a political and pre-election move, noting that the social conditions and remuneration of contract servicemen are still insufficient to justify this change.