India Clears US$2 Billion Worth Deal To Procure 464 Russian T-90 tanks

India has cleared more than 13,448 Crore (US$2 billion) worth defense proposal to procure more than 400 tanks.

An initial approval has been given for the procurement of 464 T-90 tanks under the Modi government’s Make in India initiative. The tanks, once the deal with Russia comes through, will be manufactured at the Ordnance Factory Board.

Apart from enabling India to have potent weapon, the acquisition of T-90 tanks will help India to warn its neighboring country Pakistan.

The Indian Army already has T-90 main battle tanks, which are assembled at the Avadi Heavy Vehicles Factory. But the modernized versions will have thermal imaging night vision cameras along with a host of other countermeasures, Financial Express reported. Hence these new tanks will have less chances of being hit by the enemy.

The T-90s will be a force multiplier for the Indian Army. “The new T-90s will replace the T-72 fleet of tanks, said Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (Retd), Distinguished Fellow, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA).  The upgraded tanks also have night fighting capabilities.

Manoj Joshi, Distinguished Fellow at Observer Research Foundation (ORF) explained, any country requires armour for deep penetration into the enemy’s territory, but given Pakistan’s low nuclear threshold that option is out.

However, India has to build up its armour, given that Pakistan is doing so too. So the acquisition for additional T-90s makes sense,” Joshi said.

The upgraded T-90s are also equipped with self-protection systems, enabling the tanks to foil anti-tank guided missiles.