T-90 tanks in Indian Army

Viktor wrote:Another Russia-India ammunition deal

The Indian company will produce ammunition for T-90 under license from the Russian Federation

Yes . That's right

The Invar missile purchase worth $471 million is going to be divided equally between Russian production and licensed production by Hyderabad-based Bharat Dynamic Ltd. The deliveries are expected to be completed over the next five years.

India plans to order additional T-90S tanks

"Russia is in talks with India about the possibility of concluding a contract to supply the latest Russian T-90MS battle tanks, a representative of Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) machine building company said Friday. "Negotiations are underway on the possibility of signing a new contract with new conditions, to supply India with T-90MS," the representative told RIA Novosti. There is currently a contract in place between Moscow and New Delhi for the licensed production of T-90S tanks in India. On Wednesday, a Uralvagonzavod spokesperson told RIA Novosti that Russia had completed the full cycle of testing on the T-90MS, which is the latest export version of the T-90. T-90MS, also referred as Tagil, was first unveiled in 2011. It was proposed for the Russian Army and possible export markets, including India."

Source: http://sputniknews.com/military/20150911/1026863696.html#ixzz3lQStUI9G

I guess these will be again built from kits in India most likely.

Militarov wrote:"Russia is in talks with India about the possibility of concluding a contract to supply the latest Russian T-90MS battle tanks, a representative of Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) machine building company said Friday. "Negotiations are underway on the possibility of signing a new contract with new conditions, to supply India with T-90MS," the representative told RIA Novosti. There is currently a contract in place between Moscow and New Delhi for the licensed production of T-90S tanks in India. On Wednesday, a Uralvagonzavod spokesperson told RIA Novosti that Russia had completed the full cycle of testing on the T-90MS, which is the latest export version of the T-90. T-90MS, also referred as Tagil, was first unveiled in 2011. It was proposed for the Russian Army and possible export markets, including India."

Source: http://sputniknews.com/military/20150911/1026863696.html#ixzz3lQStUI9G

I guess these will be again built from kits in India most likely.

India is in need for tanks up gradation and this deal could be of several hundreds tanks

Pinto wrote:

Militarov wrote:"Russia is in talks with India about the possibility of concluding a contract to supply the latest Russian T-90MS battle tanks, a representative of Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) machine building company said Friday. "Negotiations are underway on the possibility of signing a new contract with new conditions, to supply India with T-90MS," the representative told RIA Novosti. There is currently a contract in place between Moscow and New Delhi for the licensed production of T-90S tanks in India. On Wednesday, a Uralvagonzavod spokesperson told RIA Novosti that Russia had completed the full cycle of testing on the T-90MS, which is the latest export version of the T-90. T-90MS, also referred as Tagil, was first unveiled in 2011. It was proposed for the Russian Army and possible export markets, including India."

Source: http://sputniknews.com/military/20150911/1026863696.html#ixzz3lQStUI9G

I guess these will be again built from kits in India most likely.

India is in need for tanks up gradation and this deal could be of several hundreds tanks

Some earlier reports claim it will be order of 354 tanks.

"It’s reported that the Indian army will place a fresh order for purchase of 354 latest T-90MS tanks, which will be allocated to the six tank regiments deployed in the border region between China and India, including two tank brigades and a mountain strike corps. These new tanks will supplement the 1657 Russian T-90S, and 2414 T-72M tanks already deployed on the Pakistan border."

you are spot on bro these tanks are required by India for its newly formed mountain strike corps to be based on our eastern border in west Bengal bordering china

"Rosoboronexport": Russia and India discuss localization of T-90MS

Earlier it was reported that the Russian Federation has transferred Indian partners proposals for the modernization of this type of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles

KVITOL / India / 29 March. / TASS /. Russia and India are discussing localization of T-90MS and modernization of military equipment produced in Russia, said Tuesday TASS Deputy General Director of "Rosoboronexport" Sergei Goreslavskii.

"The negotiations are in many areas, there is a project to establish here a tank T-90MS production", - he said at the exhibition Defexpo India - 2016.

In his words, "a big topic ... even, perhaps, a priority" for India - a modernization of already operated equipment, including T-72 tanks. Earlier it was reported that the Russian Federation has transferred Indian partners proposals for the modernization of this type of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. In addition, the Corporation "Uralvagonzavod" reported that India offered to modernize and T-90 tanks.

Goreslavskii stressed in the military-technical cooperation between Russia and India, "a lot of prospects," but "the competitors are not asleep." "Against the backdrop of increasing the share of the US supply lines, France is a kind of new state of the market here, but in no way Russia is not losing its position, but on the contrary extends", - he said.

T-90MS - a modernized version of the T-90, first presented at the exhibition Russia Arms Expo - 2011. The updated car has received a more powerful engine, new air conditioning, increased bookings and a machine gun in the tower. India has already established license production of the previous modification of the tank.


Подробнее на ТАСС:
https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&rurl=translate.google.com&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http://tass.ru/armiya-i-opk/3159250&usg=ALkJrhg5z_TKtJ22dAB5UVPnYRitbnmgfQ

A deal for 300 plus of these tanks is awaited, indian army and IAF slow in there procedures for accruing new weapons while the Indian navy is much faster in planning its expansion phase

In the advanced, combined armed forces exercises, called ‘Shatrujeet,’ which the Indian Army is currently carrying out in the Rajasthan deserts, the T-90 tanks have emerged as the mainstay of offensive combat exercises.

T-90 tanks have become the mainstay for land exercises in the Indian Army’s ‘Shatrujeet’ exercises taking place in Rajasthan state, in the country’s north-west, India’s defence ministry spokesman Manish Ojha said.

"The most large–scale land exercises, ‘Shatrujeet’, which are currently taking place in the desert at the Mahajan site, involve the use of the most advanced technology, efficiently interacting with each other”, he said, but the T-90 are the Indian Army’s main "attraction".

According to Ojha, more than 30,000 soldiers are working on exercises aimed at striking deep into enemy territory with lightning speed, if necessary, with coordination between land and air forces. Military manoeuvres are aimed at testing the integration, in the vast theatre of combat activity, of the latest technologies, platforms and weapons systems, which have now become available to the Indian Army.

"The exercises are focused on achieving the perfect coordination between all the subdivisions in the scenarios where the enemy could be using nuclear, biological and chemical weapons,” said Ojha. “We are working through a swift disarming strike with all the power of multi-dimensional modern weapons available to the Indian armed forces." The spokesman for the Indian defence ministry also said, “in recent decades, there has been a paradigm shift in India's offensive doctrine, and such exercises are regularly held in the army to enhance troops’ preparedness and training to use weapons for offensive purposes."

The exercises will continue until 23 April. The formations engaged in the ‘Shatrujeet’ exercises have been training over the past previous months.

General Dalbir Singh Suhag, Chief of Staff of the Indian Army Land Forces, will hold a general review of the troops on April 22, and will assess their performance in the exercises.

https://in.rbth.com/economics/defence/2016/04/18/t-90-tanks-indian-armys-main-force-in-land-exercises_585835

Couldnt find more suitable thread but... yeah... thats... unusual.

Over 7,000 units in service on board 30 types of fighting vehicles globally

MUMBAI, OCTOBER 24:


Antoine Caput, Vice-President and Country Director — India, Thales​


The most complete range of cameras available globally for target acquisition and weapon engagements by land vehicles — the Catherine family of thermal imaging cameras — are an integral part of the Indian Army’s T-90 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs).

The T-90s are originally Russian tanks. In November 2006, India ordered a batch of 330 T-90 tanks, to be licence-built by Heavy Vehicles Factory at Avadi near Chennai.

Making of ‘Bhishma’

The factory was set up by the Ordnance Factories Board to manufacture heavy battlefield equipment. It manufactures India’s main battle tank Arjun and the T-90s. The locally assembled MBTs were christened ‘Bhishma’, and are fitted with the Shtora self-protection system as well as Catherine thermal imagers from Thales of France and Peleng of Belarus.

India has about 850 T-90 tanks now and plans to induct 1,640 T-90 tanks by 2020. Though the Catherine thermal imager is already in service with the Indian Army, this May, French defence and aerospace company Thales won a new order.

“Thales won a contract from Beltech (European firm) to provide Catherine thermal imaging cameras for T-90 MBTs of the Indian Army,” said Antoine Caput, Vice-President and Country Director – India, Thales.

As part of the contract, Caput went on to add, “Thales is making a transfer of production to integrate 260 compact LWIR (longwave infrared) thermal imaging (TI) Catherine into Beltech’s TI Sights, that will be installed on the T-90 battle tanks of Indian Army.” The tanks have a guided weapon system and ballistic computer facilities to ensure accurate firing.

Noting that thermal imagers tend to allow gunners, commanders and observers see by night and by day in adverse conditions, Caput said more than 7,000 Catherine cameras are in service on-board 30 types of fighting vehicles globally.

The cameras’ combination of functionality, long-range performance and extended situational awareness has made the Catherine MP the current UK-preferred in-service Thermal Imager (TI) with the British Army. Its networked battlefield capability improves battlefield situational awareness, while the high definition TI with megapixel resolution offers flexibility and reliability where extreme performance is demanded on land, sea and air platforms.

The new order consolidates Thales leadership in optronic technologies in India. “With an association that started in 1953, Thales has been an active contributor to India’s development, especially in the fields of defence, aerospace and ground transportation,” said Caput, adding the transfer of production of Catherine contributed to the ‘Make in India’ policy of the Indian government.


http://www.thehindubusinessline.com...rmys-t90-main-battle-tanks/article9262621.ece

As the threat from Pakistan continues to grow, the Indian Army has decided to buy advanced T-90 battle tanks from Russia. The Rs 13,448 crore deal will also have a Make-in-India element.

The Indian Army plans to buy 464 advanced T-90 battle tanks from Russia for deployment on its western borders with Pakistan.


The Rs 13,448-crore contract will include a Make-in-India element for integration at the Heavy Vehicles Factory in Avadi near Chennai.


The 10 new regiments of T-90MS tanks, equipped with thermal imaging night sights to allow the tank commander to hit at enemy locations even during night battles, will strengthen army's fire power along the land border stretch with Pakistan-from Jammu in north till the western flank in Gujarat.

LATEST TANKS TO TACKLE HEIGHTENED THREAT

"We are planning to procure the latest variants which would be deployed to tackle the heightened threat on the western front," highly-placed sources in the army told Mail Today.


Modalities of the proposal have been cleared by the army at the top level and would be soon placed for approval before Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar-led Defence Acquisition Council, the sources said.


India has already inducted 18 regiments of T-90 tanks which are deployed in Rajasthan and Punjab against on the Pakistan front.

However, the Indian Army's 4000-strong tank fleet has been battling with night blindness in the past and these new tanks would help in doing away with that, the sources said.

In addition it was found that key systems like the missile-firing mechanism and thermal sights had deteriorated due to prolonged exposure to heat and dust. This was pointed out in a recent comptroller and auditor general report. The Defence Ministry has decided to sort out the issues in addition to the radiators as the locally-produced equipment was creating problems in field operations, the sources said.

THE T-90 TANKS


The T-90 has emerged as the main battle tank of the Indian Army and is replacing the older variants of T-72 and T-55 tanks in the force.
India has about 850 T-90 tanks currently and plans to induct 1,657 by the year 2020.


The target of almost doubling the fleet in next three to four years seems a difficult task because the procurements were stuck due to issues related to escalating cost and local production.
The tanks are considered to be most advanced in the Indian inventory as they are equipped with sophisticated state-of-theart systems being produced in the country but they did not have air conditioners.

The Army initiated the process to buy ACs to be fitted in the tanks. To meet the challenges on the western front, the government also recently cleared acquisition of missiles and ammunition for these tanks under the fast-track acquisition process.


INDIA GOING BACK TO RUSSIA?


India's defence ties with Russia have been more than 60 years old and New Delhi was heavily dependent on Moscow for military hardware as it provided over 70 per cent supplies to the forces.


In recent years, the America and European sources have moved in to replace Russian equipment but the ties were rekindled recently.


Also Read: We are a friend, an ally who stood by India in darkest hours: Top Russian defense official


India has now been showing an inclination to go back towards Russian defence buys with a deal worth Rs 39,000 crore in the pipeline to purchase five S-400 Triumf air defence missile systems which can engage enemy aircraft at 400 km.

During the recent visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin, India also signed a yet-to-bepriced agreement for joint manufacturing of 200 Kamov light helicopters which would be used by the army at high-altitude areas of Siachen and Ladakh for maintaining forward bases.


The mainstay of Indian Air Force is also the Su-30MKI combat aircraft- 272 of which are being procured from Russia.



http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/indian-army-defence-arms-russian-t-90-tanks-make-in-india-pakistan-threat/1/799614.html

India's Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) gave the go-ahead to the deal on 464 Russian T-90 tanks under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, a source in the Indian Defense Ministry told Sputnik on Monday.

NEW DELHI (Sputnik) — The 'Make in India' program of the Indian government aims to attract multinational and national companies' investments in the country's manufacturing.

"The Defense Acquisition Council has also approved a 464 Russian T-90 tanks deal under the Make in India initiative," the source said.

With the DAC approval, the Defense Ministry can proceed to the negotiations with the suppliers.

According to local media, if the deal is successfully finalized, the Indian Army will receive the advanced models of the T-90 combat tank, which will bring the number of T-90 tanks in its possession to 1,300. In 2001, New Delhi reportedly bought 310 T-90 tanks from Russia, some of which were assembled in India from prepared kits.

Each T-90 deal after that has served to move the production to India. At this point, India can do a large percentage of the assemblies domestically but still needs to have some details imported.

Read more: https://sputniknews.com/asia/201611071047157898-india-t90-russia/

India Approved building additional 464 T-90 Tanks at OFB

http://www.defensenews.com/articles/indias-dac-approves-blacklisting-policy-other-procurement-projects

464 T-90 Tank for $206.89 million , Each T-90 cost ~ $2.24 million

Austin wrote:India Approved building additional 464 T-90 Tanks at OFB
http://www.defensenews.com/articles/indias-dac-approves-blacklisting-policy-other-procurement-projects

464 T-90 Tank for $206.89 million , Each T-90 cost ~ $2.24 million

If that sales figure is correct, the per unit cost is only $443,000. That seems simply WAY too cheap.

Big_Gazza wrote:

Austin wrote:India Approved building additional 464 T-90 Tanks at OFB
http://www.defensenews.com/articles/indias-dac-approves-blacklisting-policy-other-procurement-projects

464 T-90 Tank for $206.89 million , Each T-90 cost ~ $2.24 million

If that sales figure is correct, the per unit cost is only $443,000.  That seems simply WAY too cheap.

It isn't, the tanks will be produced in India with only hull and turret components going in. India's contracting budget is only for acquisition here. Labour is already taken into budget because Avadi TOF is state entreprise. Therefore the cost per unit is simply brushed down, creatively.

However total cost shouldn't be over 800K. Don't forget, this isn't a profit sale, the state makes those tanks at cost effectiveness, not profit. Yes that shows how much the price gets inflated on an ITAR/FMS sale and mostly because transfer, secrecy and off course profit.

Sorry my bad , The actual cost in Indian Rupee is "464 Russian origin T90 tanks which are being manufactured by the Ordnance Factory Board for Rs 13,448 crore


http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/081116/govt-clears-rs-82000-crore-for-new-tejas-aircraft-choppers-russian-tanks.html


13448 crore in India Rupee is little more than USD 2  billion , So unit cost for 464 tank is   $4.3 million , Most certainly this is T-90MS purchase to be built in India

Austin wrote:Sorry my bad , The actual cost in Indian Rupee is "464 Russian origin T90 tanks which are being manufactured by the Ordnance Factory Board for Rs 13,448 crore


http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/081116/govt-clears-rs-82000-crore-for-new-tejas-aircraft-choppers-russian-tanks.html


13448 crore in India Rupee is little more than USD 2  billion , So unit cost for 464 tank is   $4.3 million , Most certainly this is T-90MS purchase to be built in India

Does this mean the guys at Defense one rely on Google translations?

KoTeMoRe wrote:

Austin wrote:Sorry my bad , The actual cost in Indian Rupee is "464 Russian origin T90 tanks which are being manufactured by the Ordnance Factory Board for Rs 13,448 crore


http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/081116/govt-clears-rs-82000-crore-for-new-tejas-aircraft-choppers-russian-tanks.html


13448 crore in India Rupee is little more than USD 2  billion , So unit cost for 464 tank is   $4.3 million , Most certainly this is T-90MS purchase to be built in India

Does this mean the guys at Defense one rely on Google translations?

Not sure but instead of writing $20689 million or USD $2 billion , They wrote 206.89 million USD

Must be editing issue who knows , But India will be the first country to operate T-90MS

Keep in mind that making a tank yourself will always be rather more expensive than having someone else make it on their existing factories.

Getting to make it yourself... normally buy a few and then assemble some from knock down kits and then build your own is expensive but money invested in your own economy and your own workers and infrastructure.

Austin wrote:Not sure but instead of writing $20689 million or USD $2 billion , They wrote 206.89 million USD Rolling Eyes

Must be editing issue who knows , But India will be the first country to operate T-90MS

Yes, and a very good choice, if naturally it will be ultimately transformed in an actual deal (likely, in mine opinion not much later than the Russian MoD forthcoming deal for the " Прорыв-3" modernization program of its T-90 fleet).

Anyway it will be interesting to see if Indian MoD will opt for the modernized "Арена-Э" or for the integration of a foreign APS because the inclusion of such a system together with the modernized ТШУ-1-7М is in mine opinion mandatory for the acquisistion program of advanced MBT at the level of the T-90MS.

https://in.rbth.com/economics/defence/2016/11/10/t-90ms-will-best-new-tank-for-the-indian-army_646595

10 November 2016 MIKHAIL KHODARENOK, GAZETA.RU

The Indian military has pre-approved a $ 2 billion contract for purchase of 464 Russian T-90MS ‘Tagil’ tanks. The Uralvagonzavod management, which makes the T-90, considers the tank most suitable for the Indian army’s rearmament programme for a new main battle tank.

The Indian Defence Acquisitions Council (DAC), chaired by India's Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, has pre-approved an armaments modernization project for the Indian armed forces for a total sum of 821 billion rupees (over $ 12 billion), the Times of India (TOI) reported.

According to the report in the TOI, what has been approved is the purchase of 83 fourth-generation Indian light multipurpose fighter aircraft Tejas Mark-1A and 464 Russian T-90 tanks, and 6 additional regiments of the Indian MRLS ‘Pinaka’.

India plans to set up a licensed assembly plant for the armoured forces through the Ministry of Defence Ordnance Factory Board.

The DAC’s approval is the penultimate barrier before the signing of the world’s largest tank contract over the past 15 years, without any exaggeration, Andrey Frolov, editor in chief of the magazine Arms Export, told Gazeta.ru.

"This confirms Russia’s place in the global market as the largest developer, manufacturer and supplier of armoured vehicles. The T-90MS will allow Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) to reach a higher level of production, while keeping all the features of earlier T-90 tanks,” said Frolov.

Frolov said that earlier, Indians did not fully realize the potential of the licensed assembly of Russian tanks, even though they already have such an experience. "Some things will be made in UVZ and others in India. In any event, both for the domestic producers, as well as for the Indian party, it would be an advantageous contract", said a source of Gazeta.ru.

On the eve of the Defexpo 2016 India arms exhibition in March, Oleg Siyenko, the CEO of the UVZ Corporation, outlined in an interview with Gazeta.ru, Uralvagonzavod’s plans to modernize the T-90 and T-72 Indian tanks.

"The Corporation is considering the Indian market as a priority and a promising one,", said Siyenko

UVZ’s cooperation with India began in 1978, with the delivery of T-72 tanks. Later, UVZ specialists helped in rebuilding the tank factory at Avadi to facilitate the licensed production of T-72 tanks. The latest stage of cooperation started in 2001, when the first contract for the supply of T-90S tanks to India was signed. Currently, India is implementing a programme for licensed production of the T-90 ‘Bhishma,’ and various after sales service projects of armoured vehicles, including spare parts and engines. In response to an Indian request, UVZ offered individual modernization options for T-72 tanks, and for modernization of the T-90S.

Siyenko said the Indian army plans to stop commissioning T-72 tanks in 2025-2030 and replace them with the average main battle tanks of the future. The project is known in India as the FRCV (Future Ready Combat Vehicle). The Russian T-90MS (upgraded T-90S) meets all parameters and could come under the new Indian tank fleet upgrade, said the UVZ CEO.

"If we receive a request from the Indian partners to test the upgraded T-90S, Uralvagonzavod will be ready to send it to the test", said Siyenko.

"I personally observed great interest, among the senior Indian military men, in the T-90MS tank at the Russian Arms Expo (RAE) exhibition in Nizhny Tagil", said Viktor Murakhovski, chief editor of Arsenal Otechestva (Russian military review – translator’s note). The ‘Tagil’ exhibition demonstrated combat techniques in action as part of military formations, and almost at the same site, next to the static display.

"The Indians were really convinced of the high combat capabilities of the T-90MS, compared with the T-90 machine, which is available in service in India. T-90MS is definitely an entrance to a new level. And since this vehicle has new ammunition, we can say a new weapons system," explained Murakhovski.

The expert said Pakistan would purchase armoured vehicles from China soon. Chinese armed forces demonstrated their model of the new VT-5 tank at the November Airshow China 2016.

"India is therefore concerned about maintaining the military and technical superiority in the field of armoured vehicles. However, it would be rash to expect that the contract will be signed as early as tomorrow. In India, such things are not done quickly", said Murakhovski.

The T-90 went through baptism of fire in Syria in the spring of 2016. The first reports of the Syrian army receiving mechanized divisions of the Russian T-90 appeared November 29, 2015. On February 5, sources of RNS agency in the Russian Ministry of Defence explained that, at the end of 2015, a large consignment of Russian T-90A tanks, which had previously operated in the Russian army, were delivered in Syria. Syrian tank crews even trained on the Russian sites. According to the agency, the T-90A tanks were first used by the Syrian army near the city of Aleppo, ensuring protection of the Syrian army assault groups.

Yeni Safak, Turkey’s pro-government newspaper and the Iranian news agency Fars reported that the T-90A was involved in attacks on militants. Online videos, posted by the Syrian SANA agency where these machines are shown, proved that Russian T-90As were used.

The T-90 battle tank, built from 1980-1990 on the base of the T-72B, was named ‘Vladimir’ in honour of head designer Vladimir Potkin. The T-90MS is a modernized version of the tank’s export model, named ‘Tagil’. It is equipped with a 125-mm smoothbore gun – 2A46M-5 launcher, guided by missiles with laser-guided sight with thermal imager. The maximum sighting range of the armour-piercing shells is 4,000 m, and high-explosive shells – up to 9,600 m. The maximum range of the direct shot at the target height of 2 m. is 2120 m. The tank is also protected with dynamic protection against chemical and armour-piercing shells. At the customer’s request, the active protection Arena-E system to combat anti-tank guided missiles can be installed in the T-90MS.

First published in Russian by Gazeta.ru.

India has inked a contract for 64 next gen T 90 tanks. The army wants the order to be split between direct imports and domestic production to induct all tanks as quickly as possible

New Delhi (Sputnik) — The Indian Army is raring to bolster its firepower due to the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. On Monday, the Pakistan Foreign Office called in the Indian envoy to protests against the killing of seven soldiers on the border.

According to the Defense Ministry sources, the Army wants to induct the latest version of T-90 tanks as early as possible. The Ministry had approved the purchase of 64 T-90MS tanks.

T-90 is the third generation Russian tank known for its fire power. The export version of the new T-90MS tanks includes fragmentation projectile with remote detonation to cause further havoc in adversary’s ranks

But the army is not satisfied with the pace of domestic production and wants some of the tanks to be directly imported from Russia. The T-90MS is the latest version of the famous Russian T–series of tanks. The India-Russia T-90MS tank will strengthen maneuverability along the border and thereby send a strong warning to Pakistan.

“T-90MS will replace the older T-72 tanks. It addresses some of the shortcomings of T-90, is easily transportable and less weighty. The domestically made Arjun tanks were originally suited for the terrain in the border states of Punjab and Rajasthan. But increasing population centers and an enhanced network of canals have limited its areas of deployment and operations. This is where T-90MS will be more useful because they are lighter and more maneuverable. The low ground pressure of T-90 MS tanks is an advantage in the soft sands of Rajasthan and mud of Punjab.

“Therefore, T-90MS tanks are well suited to Indian army. The latest features also enhance the fire power. So, T-90MS tanks are urgent needed by the Indian Army in the present situation,” Major General (Rtd) G D Bakshi told Sputnik.

Read more: https://sputniknews.com/military/201611151047457329-india-russia-t90-tanks/

https://sputniknews.com/asia/201612051048193626-indian-army-t-90/


India is trying to play catch up with China and Pakistan in 24X7 armoured warfare. Only half of India’s tanks are configured for night warfare as against Pakistan’s 80 per cent and China’s 100 per cent.

New Delhi (Sputnik) – Night-blindness for Indian armoured formations will become a thing of the past as the army has revived the process to equip its main battle tank T-90 with high tech night visiion.

The Army wants to procure 1,400 uncooled thermal imager-based driver’s night sight (DNS) with fusion technology for T-90 tank to assist the driver in tank operations at night. Indian Army plans to replace the existing image intensifier sights used in T-90 tanks in the next five years.

“The proposed DNS will be a form-fit replacement for the existing Image Intensifier Sights currently used in T-90 tanks. It should facilitate driving during pitch dark nights with no ambient light. The T-90 tank driver should be able to clearly view the area in-front with adequate depth perception while driving over undulating terrain with the help of an uncooled thermal imaging sight,” reads the request for proposal document.

The uncooled imager is less expensive and relatively maintenance free and are used for instant operations.

“At present there is no Indian company which has the potential of manufacturing even in collaboration a DNS of the type that the Indian Army wishes to purchase. While Defence of Research and Development Organization has developed an uncooled DNS it is not clear if the technology has been shared with any Indian company,” says defense analyst Brigadier Rahul Bhonsle (retired).

DRDO has developed uncooled thermal imagers based DNS for tanks of range up to 150 meters with field of view 45ᵒx34ᵒ.

“This will considerably improve the night fighting capability by providing the ability to maneuver on the battle field under pitch dark conditions,” says Bhonsle.

In November, the Indian Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar had cleared a proposal to procure 464 T-90 tanks from Russia at cost of approximately $2.1 billion. Almost 2,500 T-72 tanks currently serving the Indian Army need to be replaced by year 2020 but the delay in development of indigenous main battle tank Arjun MK II has forced Indian Army to increase its dependence on T-90s. Now, India plans to induct more than 1,600 T-90 tanks by 2020 that to be deployed in western front bordering Pakistan.