India Plans Massive Armoured Warfare Expansion with Acquisition of Over 450 Elite T-90MS Tanks; Deployment Planned for the Chinese Border Exclusively

The Indian Army currently fields one of the largest and most capable tank forces in the world, with front line armoured units comprised entirely of advanced Russian designed T-72 and T-90 platforms - approximately 2,400 of the former and 1,700 of the latter. Several thousand of these platforms have been partly produced in India itself under licence, allowing the country to manufacture new battle tanks as needed while strengthening its domestic defence industries. Fielding advanced Russian tanks in such large numbers gives India’s ground forces a considerable quantitative and qualitative advantage over the forces of neighbouring Pakistan, and until the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Induction of the elite indigenous Type 99A in 2011 also ensured technological supremacy over the East Asian state’s armoured units in the event of war. Following a spike in tensions on the Sino-Indian border in 2017, India has reportedly sought out the latest export variant of the Russian T-90, the T-90MS, for its ground forces to further modernise its already lethal armoured warfare capabilities.

The T-90MS represents a new modernised variant of the T-90S, with the older variant currently widely in service in the Indian Army, and integrates a number of state of the art new technologies. These include a new 1,130 horsepower engine, GLONASS satellite and inertial navigation systems, a PNM Sosna-U gunner view system, enhanced thermal imaging sights, a new removable turret bustle and four video cameras to provide a full coverage circular view. Perhaps the most considerable new upgrade fielded by the MS variant however is its new ‘Relikt’ expositive reactive armour - providing the battle tank with an unprecedented degree of survivability against even highly advanced anti tank munitions. The T-90MS is capable of firing both guide missiles and conventional munitions from its 125mm 2А46Ðœ-5 main cannon, including a variety of submunitions which give the platforms a high degree of versatility. The Indian Defence Ministry has approved the acquisition of 464 of these battle tanks to form eight divisions specifically for deployment to the country’s border with China. The $1.5 billion contract is set to be followed by further deals to acquiring upgraded thermal imaging equipment for existing T-90 tanks.

India has long been a leading client for the latest Russian arms, and the T-90 tanks represent but one of several new weapons systems contracted in 2018 - with upgrades to the Su-30MKI fleet and purchase of S-400 long range air surface to air missile systems also taking place among numerous other arms deals. While India has come under considerable pressure from the United States to terminate its Russian acquisitions, with Washington threatening economic sanctions and the cancellation of several arms deals should Delhi continue its defence partnership with Moscow, India has ultimately refused to bend to Western pressure and its armed forces have continued with planned acquisitions as planned. With the armoured warfare capabilities of neighbouring China fast advancing, and with Pakistan reportedly negotiating the acquisition of T-90 platforms of its own, India may well in the near future seek a battle tank yet more capable than the T-90MS - with the country reportedly having shown interest in acquiring a next generation platform based on Russia's T-14 Armata. Russia is set to remain a key guarantor of Indian parity with its neighbours by making up for the severe shortcomings in the country's defence industry with the provision of state of the art arms of its own - a mutually beneficial relationship which is vital to both countries' military interests.