A $248 million deal between the Indian Ministry of Defense and ROSOBORONEXPORT, Russia’s state-owned arms exporter, has been finalized.
The goal of this agreement is to acquire cutting-edge 1,000 horsepower engines for the Indian Army’s T-72 tank fleet, which presently uses 780 horsepower engines. In order to facilitate both immediate use and future domestic production, the new engines will be supplied in a variety of conditions, including fully assembled, semi-knocked down, and completely knocked down.
The technology transfer from ROSOBORONEXPORT to Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL), situated in Avadi, Chennai, is another aspect of the agreement. In order to support India’s “Make in India” defence industry initiative, this technology transfer will allow AVNL to integrate and manufacture these engines locally under licence.
The Indian Army’s T-72 tanks, a mainstay of the nation’s armored forces for decades, are anticipated to have improved battlefield mobility and offensive capabilities with the conversion to 1,000 horsepower engines.
This deal is in line with India’s overarching plan to update its military hardware while lowering reliance on outside vendors. In order to maintain long-term operational readiness, India has had to look for alternate suppliers and concentrate on domestic manufacturing due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has disrupted supply chains.
Over the years, the T-72 tanks have received a number of improvements, including the addition of contemporary technology like GPS and Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA). In spite of these developments, the Indian Army is also looking into domestic alternatives to expand its armored capabilities, like the Arjun MK-1A tanks.
An important step in India’s efforts to support its defense manufacturing sector while preserving strategic alliances with established suppliers like Russia is the agreement with ROSOBORONEXPORT.
