With the indigenous Arjun main battle tanks still to undergo vigorous comparative trials, the Army has ordered 300 new upgraded T-90 Main battle tanks with new ballistic computer generated fire control systems.
The tanks with new systems will be imported from Russia at an estimated cost of Rs 3,900 crore and are likely to be inducted over the next two years, army officials said.
With this the number of T-90 tanks in the army will swell to over 600. Defence Minister A K Antony had recently told Parliament that India had come to an agreement with Russia to produce 1,100 T-90 tanks.
Under the Indo-Russian deal signed in 2002, India was to purchase off the shelf 140 T-90 tanks and manufacture another 186 under technology transfer.
"The present deal for 300 tanks is the contract for the third batch," a Russian company official said.
The new tanks will be equipped with the new fire control system developed by Belarus company Beltek exports giving the T-90 tanks day and night operational capability. The system incorporates tactical state of the art ballistic computer, tilt sensors, motions and wild sensors and a thermal imager developed by European arms major Thales for the French army.
A major deal for installing such a system on the T-90 tanks, which may run up to Euro 110 million is about to be signed between Beltek Exports and the Ordnance Factories Board.
Under the deal, the Ordnance Factories Board will be directly contracted to integrate locally the kits on the indigenous T-90 Main battle tanks.
"The contract will also allow technology transfer for the sights to be implemented," the official said.
The new fire control system is being installed after the first batch of T-90 tanks faced teething problems in night operations during Operation Parakaram.
"The fire control system has already been tested and qualified to the Indian norms and conditions in extensive trials held over a period of two years," company officials said.
With the decision to acquire more T-90 tanks, decks apparently have been cleared for the Russian tanks to the Indian Army's Main Battle Tank for the next ten to 15 years.
By 2008, Army plans to junk all the 800 Vijyanta and 500 T-55 tanks and with the Arjun main battle tank still to be approved by the forces, it is sure that the T-90 will the army main battle tank.
Army is also currently undertaking a major upgradation of its current MBT T-72. Under the major mid-life overhaul, the T-72 tanks are being equipped with night visions, but the project is only likely to be completed by 2013.
