Russia Offers India Joint Production of Enhanced T-90MS Tanks After Large Orders Placed

Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport has offered India the opportunity to jointly produce the advanced T-90MS main battle tank, under a deal which could significantly deepen long-standing defence industrial cooperation between the two countries. The initiation was presented as building on a quarter century of successful T-90 production collaboration, and as an opportunity to provide the Indian Army with one of the world’s most capable modernised main battle tanks. The T-90MS, the latest export version of Russia’s T-90 family, and incorporates many of the technological improvements developed for the Russian Army’s T-90M. 

Indian industry in May completed production of its 1,000th T-90S tank under license under a series agreements signed from 2001, with the country’s defence sector having initially imported complete tanks from Russia, before progressively increasing domestic assembly and manufacturing at the Heavy Vehicles Factory in Avadi. Today, the vast majority of T-90S tanks are built in India using a combination of locally produced and Russian-supplied components. The new proposal would allow for production of a substantially upgraded version of the T-90 with a more powerful 1,130 hp engine, a redesigned turret, improved armour, a modern fire-control system, enhanced thermal sights, a digital battlefield management system, and numerous other improvements derived from the Russian Army’s T-90M tank.

Russia is presenting the programme as a new joint production partnership rather than merely an extension of the existing licence, with Rosoboronexport having indicated that it is prepared to offer technology transfers and local manufacturing for the newer variant. While the T-90S fleet was designed around technologies of the late 1990s, the T-90MS incorporates upgrades developed after decades of operational experience, including lessons from the Russian-Ukrainian War. By offering India a path to manufacture a next-generation version of the T-90 domestically, it may secure the export of several hundred more vehicles while also allowing Indian industry to remain engaged in tank production. 

The Indian previously ordered 464 T-90MS tanks in 2019, although it remains uncertain whether these were fully brought up to the T-90MS standard, or were T-90 Mk III variants as some local sources have referred to them. There have also been multiple unconfirmed reports that follow-up orders were placed. With the Defence Ministry and Army having already shown a strong interest in the T-90MS, and in increasing indigenous defence manufacturing under the “Make in India” initiative, it is highly possible that a major license production deal will be signed to allow for local production of improved T-90 variants.