India's Armor Gets a Boost: A Closer Look at the T-72 and T-90 Upgrades

India is taking significant strides in modernizing its armored forces, and at the center of this effort is a substantial upgrade program for its mainstay battle tanks – the T-72 and T-90.

The Indian Army is not simply looking to buy more powerful machines; it's investing in transforming its existing assets into more capable platforms, demonstrating a strategic focus on self-reliance and indigenous technological development.

The T-72: A Workhorse Transformed​

The backbone of India's tank fleet, the T-72, is set to receive a heart transplant. A ₹2300 crore project will see nearly 1000 of these tanks fitted with new, indigenously developed 1000-hp engines.

This represents a significant power increase over the current 780-hp models, giving the T-72s enhanced battlefield mobility and agility.

Importantly, the upgrade approach prioritizes cost-effectiveness and leverages existing knowledge. Engineers have redesigned peripheral systems like cooling and intake while retaining core engine components.

This ensures a reliable upgrade path with reduced development time. Rigorous testing guarantees the engines' combat readiness.

'Make in India' in Action​

The T-72 upgrade program embodies India's "Make in India" initiative. Approximately 800 of the new engines will be manufactured domestically.

This is not just about upgrading tanks; it's fueling India's defence industry, creating jobs, and reducing reliance on foreign suppliers.

The upgrades extend beyond just horsepower. The T-72s will receive crucial enhancements like:

• Thermal sights: Providing superior night-fighting capabilities.
• Fire detection and suppression systems: Boosting battlefield survivability.
• Other targeted improvements: Potentially including communication and battlefield management systems upgrades

The T-90S: Sharpening the Edge​

India's more advanced T-90S main battle tanks are also receiving a technological boost. This includes:

• Automatic target trackers: Enhancing target acquisition and engagement.
• Digital ballistic computers: Improving firing accuracy.
• Commander thermal imagers: Providing enhanced situational awareness.

Beyond the Hardware: India's Strategic Vision​

The T-72 and T-90 modernization programs signal India's commitment to maintaining a technologically superior armored force capable of facing contemporary threats.

The combination of indigenous development and carefully selected imports demonstrates a savvy approach to defence procurement, maximizing combat potential while building a self-sufficient defence industry.

This move underscores India's growing ambition as a regional power and its determination to independently safeguard its security interests.

The upgraded T-72s and T-90s will form a formidable armored fist, ready to deter aggression and ensure India's continued rise as a self-reliant military power.

 

[Amit Ray]

Do you actually have a sensible counter? If not, then go do something else.

What do you mean by nuclear bombs with boulders, nuclear bombs rain boulders???

 

[Akshat]

that was long time ago, try buying it for that price now.

That is the price we are paying for the batch being inducted currently.

 

[Anant]

What do you mean by nuclear bombs with boulders, nuclear bombs rain boulders???

Sarcasm, my good man, sarcasm.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

That is the price we are paying for the batch being inducted currently.

Deal was signed long time ago. These defence deals are signed keeping in mind very long time frame of delivery. That is why they seem inflated at the time. If you were to sign a deal today, it would be much more expensive.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

As for how many Leopards Ukraine has lost, photographic evidence puts them at 13 Leopard 2s lost, 1 Leopard 1 and 9 Leopard 2s damaged and recovered for repairs, and 8 Leopard 2s damaged and abandoned (with Ukraine claiming 3 of the latter 8 were also recovered for repairs later on). How many T-72s gave both sides lost in the same period in the same region? The number is significantly higher.

Ukraine has used used leopards in much fewer numbers and much different tactics than they used the t72s. Still they ended up losimg so many (you should also count the swedish/finnish donated tanks since they are also locally produced leopards.)

Point is that an older tank that has been modernised, can take out new tank. You can take advantage of terrain, camouflage, training to get the first shot. But same logic does not apply to fighters. There is no camoflage in the sky. Radars are too good. Stealth depends largely on design, so you can t upgrade it. Airframe gets degraded much more and much faster than tank body.

Globally it is the norm to keep old tanks and upgrade them instead of scrapping them, unless they are super old.

 

[Rajesh]

Which engine is this and who are producing them?
Hardly any details on the engine manufacturer and whether the engine will be rebranded/renamed.

It is Indian engines. Back during nirmala as dm the dpsu has indigenised the 750hp(t72) and 1000 hp(t90) engines. It is not a new design but completely indigenised . The 1000 hp engine is also in the negative list .

 

[Akshat]

Deal was signed long time ago. These defence deals are signed keeping in mind very long time frame of delivery. That is why they seem inflated at the time. If you were to sign a deal today, it would be much more expensive.

It was signed in 2020. Not too long ago, when considering the time frame. So even today you can get it for 4 million usd or thereabouts.

 

[Anant]

Ukraine has used used leopards in much fewer numbers and much different tactics than they used the t72s. Still they ended up losimg so many (you should also count the swedish/finnish donated tanks since they are also locally produced leopards.)

Point is that an older tank that has been modernised, can take out new tank. You can take advantage of terrain, camouflage, training to get the first shot. But same logic does not apply to fighters. There is no camoflage in the sky. Radars are too good. Stealth depends largely on design, so you can t upgrade it. Airframe gets degraded much more and much faster than tank body.

Globally it is the norm to keep old tanks and upgrade them instead of scrapping them, unless they are super old.

Very well. One can add the one Swedish-built Leopard 2 derivative lost, another one damaged, and 4 damaged and abandoned (of which 3 seem to have been recovered as per Ukraine).

Yes, the Ukrainians have also used relatively few Western tanks. However, these Western tanks are far less susceptible to ATGMs, are better armoured, etc. Most of those losses have been to suicide drones, which carry far more payload than an ATGM does.

See, no one is claiming that the Leopard 2 or Challenger 2 or Abrams is indestructible. That would be blatantly false. However, they are far better suited to face off modern threats than a modernised T-72 is. Then again, you can modernise the T-72 to a ridiculous degree to make it extremely relevant for modern warfare, but it stops being a T-72 at that point and becomes something else entirely.

I am also not advocating scrapping the T-72s. Not at all. What I am saying, however, is that we would be better placed with an austere modernisation for the T-72s which can keep them relevant for another decade, and then shift them off into storage, with these being replaced by a newer tank design that is better suited for today's warfare. We have a lot of unmodernised T-55s in storage, and the T-72s could replace those in storage (maybe even retain some T-55s if deemed viable).

Let's not stay in a scenario where your frontline tank has so many vulnerabilities. Let them be in storage, and we'll pull them out if absolutely necessary.

 

[Ranjeet Singh]

Upgrade newer T-72s but with anti UCAV device/Jammers and remaining T-72 chases should be fitted with 300 mm 300 km range MBRL launchers !

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Let's not stay in a scenario where your frontline tank has so many vulnerabilities. Let them be in storage, and we'll pull them out if absolutely necessary.

That is exactly the thought of the army. Right now t90 tanks form our frontline. These t72 will remain in storage. But they will be modernised that when they are pulled out of storage, we dont have to modernise them then, as the russians are doing. It would be more expensive then, waste of precious time and resources during wartime.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

It was signed in 2020. Not too long ago, when considering the time frame. So even today you can get it for 4 million usd or thereabouts.

India has been buying t90 tanks for decades now.

 

[Amit Ray]

Sarcasm, my good man, sarcasm.

Metaphors, Pun, Sarcasm everything is okay, but don't take refuge to those after being caught talking prolix.

 

[Anant]

Metaphors, Pun, Sarcasm everything is okay, but don't take refuge to those after being caught talking prolix.

Not my fault if you cannot identify or understand sarcasm when you read it, and even more so when the final sarcastic taunt is being built up to.

Say what you will, and believe what you will. I do not care either way, unless you have a sensible point to make. Above all, however, do have a good day.

 

[Anant]

That is exactly the thought of the army. Right now t90 tanks form our frontline. These t72 will remain in storage. But they will be modernised that when they are pulled out of storage, we dont have to modernise them then, as the russians are doing. It would be more expensive then, waste of precious time and resources during wartime.

True, but there is no point going for a very comprehensive modernisation costing pretty much as the tank did in the first place. We should have plans such as this, but they should be done only if need be.

If the Army is looking to spend something like 23,000 crores on a modernisation today, it would be a better idea to spend a fraction of that for an austere rework and spend the rest of the money where it actually makes sense, such as the FMBT, where the Army wants a tank that is essentially a South Korean K2 Black Panther (with a cost price of over 8 million dollars) for less than 4 million USD apiece.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

If the Army is looking to spend something like 23,000 crores on a modernisation today, it would be a better idea to spend a fraction of that for an austere rework and spend the rest of the money where it actually makes sense, such as the FMBT, where the Army wants a tank that is essentially a South Korean K2 Black Panther (with a cost price of over 8 million dollars) for less than 4 million USD apiece.

Army is spending as much on upgrade as it needs to. If it spends less then these tanks would just be very exzpensive targets.

Engines are also very old, that is why they getting brand new upgrades engines.

 

[Akshat]

India has been buying t90 tanks for decades now.

I specifically stated that the price I am quoting is for the latest deal which was signed in 2020 only.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

I specifically stated that the price I am quoting is for the latest deal which was signed in 2020 only.

I found that a deal was done in 2019 for 464 t90 tanks and it was for around 3 billion which comes to more than 6 million each. Also India hd to pay a ridiculous amount of money as license fees (over 1 billion).