The Indian Defense Ministry has ordered additional 464 T-90S tanks, an official from Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation told local media on Thursday.
This $1.9 billion purchase of 464 new T-90MS tanks for 8 tank regiments at the Chinese border was approved in early November 2019.
Earlier this week, Denis Manturov, the Russian minister of industry and trade, told local media:
“The Indian Defense Ministry placed an order for additional 464 tanks at the Avadi Heavy Vehicles Factory [in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu]. The Russian companies will deliver equipment to the Indian plant for the production of tanks if it is necessary.”
The agency’s spokesman also expressed hope for India’s return to the fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) project, which was put on hold by the Indian side.
“Unfortunately, the project for the joint creation of the promising multirole FGFA fighter jet has not received its proper development and India has put it on hold. In the future, we do not exclude the return of India to this project,” the spokesman said.
India currently operates 2011 T-90S which were procured in three separate orders. Two batches (124 Russian built tanks and 186 tanks to be built in India in 2001 and a further 124 Russian built tanks and 223 tanks to be built in India in 2007) were purchased from Russia.
And we are still sending them foreign aid?
Richard,
I don’t the issue is one of them receiving aid (Which they have stated they don’t require) , rather it is the mindset of the people in the British corridors of power, who go well out of their way in which to explain to the British people why India should receive Aid from the UK
The Department for International Development (Dfid) says the project has worked with 60,000 women’s self help groups like this one just in Bihar and UK funded projects have reached a total of nine million women in India.
In the jargon of aid giving this is known as “demand generation”, but British aid is also spent improving the quality of the service the Indian government provides – enhancing supply. “What British aid does is work with the government to make sure that the money that the government of India is spending on development is well spent and is much more effective, so the quality of the programmes are better,” says Ms Pillai.
These people have been infused with the mindset that whitey is to blame for all the ills of the world, and that the Uk should throw money at those who are a different colour simply as in their eyes all people of colour can only be victims,
So us Brits are racist bastards for giving aid to disadvantaged groups of Indian citizens?
So Ive been looking into this and I find that India actually builds its own T90M Bhishma tanks under licence. But what really caught my eye is that india is fitting is fitting its tanks with the LEDS 150 active protection system. From 2016:
Tata Power SED to Produce Active Protection Systems for Saab
The Swedish defense company Saab and Indian company Tata Power Strategic Engineering Division (Tata Power SED) have started the process of manufacturing Self-Protection Systems for Land-based Platforms, for the Indian market and for export to Saab’s global market.
According to the company’s’ announcement, the partnership will also involve joint development of the next generation Self-Protection System. ‘The process of Transfer of Technology for production of initial orders for Saab’s global customers has already commenced at Tata Power SED.’s facility in Bangalore.’ Saab announced, Tata Power SED will eventually manufacture a large part of the system in India and also do final assembly. Tata will also be responsible for marketing the system in India.
Land Electronic Defence System (LEDS) 50 MK2 is a subset of an integrated and modular, active defense system consisting of a Laser Warning Segment (LWS) and Effector Control Segment (OSCS). The solution provides combat personnel with vital situational awareness on laser threats and countermeasure availability and areas of coverage/protection offered under dynamic conditions, allowing manual or fully automatic responses against threats.
At Defexpo 2016 Tata displayed a model of T-90 fitted with LEDS 150 active protection system, comprising radar sensors and traversable countermeasure dispensers designed to protect the tank from anti-tank missiles and RPGs.
Given the long-term potential for self-protection systems for combat vehicles, both in India and abroad, we see this collaboration with Saab as an important milestone in boosting India’s capabilities in building defence systems.” said Rahul Chaudhry, CEO, Tata Power SED. “It is perfectly aligned with the actual essence of “Make In India” initiatives being implemented by the Indian government”.
Not sure we should be still sending foreign aid to India, they have an aircraft carrier building programme, a nuclear submarine building programme, a space programme, enough money to buy hundreds of heavy MBTs, in short they are not doing badly. I would argue that Indias government choose their expenditure priorities and it is not the country’s infrastructure or public health, welfare or social reforms.
Our money or their own?
So I wonder who China will be annoyed with the most, the Indians for deploying these along their disputed border, or the Russians for selling them to the Indians?
Good point.