Indian Army Faces Critical Decision on Overhauling its Armoured Fleet Amid T-72 Tank Retirement

The Indian Army is preparing for a significant overhaul in its armoured fleet due to the upcoming retirement and storage of more than half of its T-72 tanks in the next 7-8 years. These reliable Soviet-era tanks have been the backbone of the Indian Army since 1982, but they are now nearing the end of their service life. Unfortunately, the replacement programme, the Future Main Battle Tank (FMBT), has been stuck for over a decade due to delays.

The Army currently operates approximately 2,400 T-72 tanks, with many surpassing their 30-year service life. Although extensive overhauls have extended their lifespan by 10-15 years, these tanks do not possess the modern capabilities required for today's warfare. The Russia-Ukraine war has made it more challenging to access essential spare parts for maintenance and repairs, further complicating the situation.

The Army is planning to enhance more than 1,200 T-72s by installing new engines, fire control systems, and other upgrades to bridge the gap. Nevertheless, over 1000 T-72 tanks will remain unupgraded and unable to participate in combat. The most recent 98 T-72s were put into service in 1998-99, indicating that even the newest T-72 Tanks are approaching the 30-year shelf life recommended by the manufacturer.

The FMBT programme aimed at replacing the T-72s with a tank developed domestically has faced delays and indecision. This situation puts the Army in a challenging position, facing an ageing fleet with no clear way forward. However, DRDO is planning to further develop Arjun Mk1A, Mk2, and even Mk3 to address the vulnerabilities of the T-72 fleet in modern warfare, where they may be exposed to modern ATGMS.

Dealing with the Indian Army's T-72 dilemma is a complex challenge. It is essential to adopt a multi-pronged approach that includes modernization efforts and a clear roadmap for the FMBT programme or strategic foreign partnerships to ensure the Army maintains a modern and effective Armoured force. The future of India’s Armoured might is at a critical juncture, and the choices made in the upcoming years will have long-term implications.

 

[bonito]

Most project are stalled or having performance issues. India is suffering from mediocre workforce and will until reservation exists

 

[Tabaahi@dqs]

We must pay attention to the development of same tech developed in peer countries(but must go with home developed tech) bcoz armour based platform has suffered huge casualties in russo-ukraine conflict from fvp drones which arguably is the best and most destructive tech(even better than revered artillery to have emerged from this conflict. According to some reports dji's mavic or other reconnaissance drone combined with fpv has been able to damage or kill any target within it 2-3 minutes once recognised as enemy.

 

[Hari Sud]

Most project are stalled or having performance issues. India is suffering from mediocre workforce and will until reservation exists

Money comes from where?

 

[Mango_Indian]

Lets think for a moment.

From 1990 till date, what are the Indian upgrades that have been done on this massive fleet of 2,400 T-72 tanks, when the short-comings were widely known. Engine upgraded - NO, Armour -NO, Protection - NO. Why ?

From 2013 till date, what has been done on FMBT? GSQR released ? No. Any proper direction given to start design? No. Any urgency or follow-up from IA to GOI? No. Any budget released for experimenting Arjun to meet FMBT requirements? No. Why?

GOD does not save them who do not try to save themselves.

 

[Anant]

The big problem is that the Army is setting up the FMBT / FRCV program for failure from the get-go.

The Army wants provisions for automatic, semi-automatic, and manual loading. They want a 360 degree APS and top protection from drones, ATGMs, etc. They want jamming and EW technology to soft-jam enemy drones. They want the ability for the tank to operate UGVs and operate in MUM-T operations. They also want enough growth potential in the tank for it to remain relevant for 40 years as new technology is added.

If all of that didn't seem enough, they want it all in a tank that weighs between 52.25 and 57.75 tons. Oh, and they want the damned thing to cost under 4 million USD per unit.

Will someone bother telling whichever bright spark came up with this that there is literally no tank in service or development that fulfills all of those criteria? The tank that comes closest globally is South Korea's K2, but that tank costs well over 10 million dollars each. How on Earth can anyone even remotely rational expect everything that a 10 million dollar tank gives you for 4 million dollars?

This everything-for-cheap attitude has to change. You can get good equipment or cheap equipment. Occasionally, you can even get good equipment which is cheap. This isn't one of those occasions, though.

What is being done here is moronic, to say the least. The entire project is being set up to fail from the start. Who knows? In 10 years, they may actually be surprised the whole thing fails.

 

[kumar]

Author of above article should have shown urgency when fmbt requirements were not released by IA even after years of followup by drdo. This urgency situation being created by author is looking like to provide import of tanks under emergency route. Typical narrative peddled by IA. Tank import should not be done. Let the IA figure out how to resolve thier own love for imports when reality hits them in thier face. Recent article in swarajya shows just how much messed up IA weapons requirements are.

 

[pavan tiwari]

The Army wants provisions for automatic, semi-automatic, and manual loading. They want a 360 degree APS and top protection from drones, ATGMs, etc. They want jamming and EW technology to soft-jam enemy drones. They want the ability for the tank to operate UGVs and operate in MUM-T operations. They also want enough growth potential in the tank for it to remain relevant for 40 years as new technology is added.

Time has come to fix the screws of Jokers in the army who set such unreasonable requirements which are present only in the weapons of marvel comics.

 

[Avada kedavra]

Well if that's the case then I think I should stop caring about soldiers dying in the battlefield. If the top brass does not care for them why should I?
It's obvious these tanks are a death trap. After seeing what's happening in ukraine if the army men are still not ready to move then let them suffer for their consequences.

 

[Siddharth Asthana]

Lets wait 6 months, we will see a significant change on this, govt cant take a massive decision at this time to prevent unnecessary controversies.

Also, despite being a strong supporter of indigenious content, we have to understand......Arjun MK1 or MK1A are no where near the levels of Armata or Abrahams...and i am not talking in terms of high level features, i am talking basics....metallurgy, engine technology, barrel, etc.

So i think we are going to see something like K-9 vajra kind of deal, where a Pvt Sector assembles a foreign tank and starts to improvise like Zorawar...Arjun cant be made a world class tank with DRDO/HVF alone

 

[Bikramjeet Goswami]

Has the army stated what they want in a FMBT?

 

[Bhaskar Ambekar]

All the army wants is phoren maal, it junked Arjun, Artillery guns. It just wants imported ones, they really need to learn from Navy.

 

[Anant]

All the army wants is phoren maal, it junked Arjun, Artillery guns. It just wants imported ones, they really need to learn from Navy.

You know, while I do agree with you somewhat, the Army is being unreasonable in this case.

They want anything and everything in a tank, and want the unit price to be about 4 million USD per tank. The only tank that comes close anywhere in the world is the South Korean K-2, and the cost of that tank (cost price for domestic orders, never mind the sales price or export prices) is about 10 million USD per tank.

Do tell me just how this isn't the Army's fault? If you want good equipment, you have to be willing to pay for it. 4 million USD today is just idiotic.

Consider these tanks and their export costs:
M1A2 Abrams: 24 million USD
Leopard 2A8: 30-31 million USD
Leclerc: About 20-24 million USD
Merkava 4: 15 million USD
K2: About 15-20 million USD

Heck, even the T-90 deal back in 2006 cost us some 2.42 million USD per tank. Today, that works out to about 3.8 million USD per tank. And now someone thinks you can get a far better tank for a similar price? Absolutely ridiculous!

 

[Anant]

Has the army stated what they want in a FMBT?

Oh yes, they have.

The Army wants provisions for automatic, semi-automatic, and manual loading. They want a 360 degree APS and top protection from drones, ATGMs, etc. They want jamming and EW technology to soft-jam enemy drones. They want the ability for the tank to operate UGVs and operate in MUM-T operations. They also want enough growth potential in the tank for it to remain relevant for 40 years as new technology is added.

If all of that didn't seem enough, they want it all in a tank that weighs between 52.25 and 57.75 tons. Oh, and they want the damned thing to cost under 4 million USD per tank.

The T-90 deal from 2006, if adjusted to inflation, comes to about 3.8 million USD per tank today. And these folks want a far better machine for a similar price. Mind you, the only tank that comes close is South Korea's K2, and that tank has an export cost of some 15-20 million dollars USD (based on Poland's 2022 deal).

 

[PARTHAJIT JANA]

So i think we are going to see something like K-9 vajra kind of deal, where a Pvt Sector assembles a foreign tank and starts to improvise like Zorawar...Arjun cant be made a world class tank with DRDO/HVF alone

If you expect first time a company /org making a tank with peanut level funding to be at the level of best you are fooling yourself,you go by block and block improvements, continuous fund, rnd, timeline and money and orders.after a certain time you just cant improve an old system, you go for a new system which will be far better than previous ones and you tell the makers you expect better levels than chinese which you are competing and a product that can compete in exxport market. You collborate with foreign oems where you lack in technologies. But you invest.

 

[PARTHAJIT JANA]

despite being a strong supporter of indigenious content, we have to understand......Arjun MK1 or MK1A are no where near the levels of Armata or Abrahams...and i am not talking in terms of high level features, i am talking basics....metallurgy, engine technology, barrel, etc.

Tejas mk1a is better than tejas mk1 , mk2 if delivered with promised features will be better than mk1a. But when you invest in Amca you as a airforce leader or defence minister tell ada, hal scientists you want that product within a timeframe with must have capabilities .

 

[The_rED_dEVIL]

From 2013 till date, what has been done on FMBT? GSQR released ? No. Any proper direction given to start design? No. Any urgency or follow-up from IA to GOI? No. Any budget released for experimenting Arjun to meet FMBT requirements? No. Why?

Indian Army and Indian Air Force needs a training programme from Indian Navy for how to fast track programmes for inidigenisation and modernisation with good quality.

 

[Rational Guy]

Time has come to fix the screws of Jokers in the army who set such unreasonable requirements which are present only in the weapons of marvel comics.

They're no jokers they're cunning wolves, they want indigenous efforts to fail so that they can import.

 

[Akshat]

From 1990 till date, what are the Indian upgrades that have been done on this massive fleet of 2,400 T-72 tanks, when the short-comings were widely known. Engine upgraded - NO, Armour -NO, Protection - NO. Why ?

At least get your facts right bro.

Indian army already had modified the original T72, called Ajeya. It was later upgraded with ERA and all, called Ajeya 2. After that Army had launched a new upgrade program, which was hijacked by DRDO and some of those components are not ready till date.

Regarding FMBT, army has already released its requirements. In fact, just 2 days back, it also got MoD’s AoN, under Make in India 1 category, which means army will provide up to 90% funding to vendors to make its FMBT. Specific requirements are present in the document already.

So the crux is that army tried and tried but foolishly relied on DRDO to get the job done. Finally they have learned their lesson and are engaging private vendors this time.

 

[Akshat]

they want it all in a tank that weighs between 52.25 and 57.75 tons. Oh, and they want the damned thing to cost under 4 million USD per unit.

That is indeed right. While rest of the specs still seem doable, the 4 crew spec with manual, semi automatic and automatic loader, all within 55 tons, seem near impossible. As for the cost, this is just AoN stage so that will be revised as the process moves forward. Tejas, even between IOC and production order, saw its price double up. So price is I’ll be revised. My main issue is with the turret and 4 men crew.