Future-ready combat vehicles to replace Indian Army's T-72 tanks from 2030

By Anish Kumar | First Published Aug 14, 2023, 8:57 PM IST

The need to replace the ageing T-72 tanks was felt after considering the future threat spectrum and the 'combat overmatch' over the adversary. Sources said that the developmental process would be completed in 4-5 years and it would take another 1.5-2 years for production to be rolled out.

With a view to making the force more lethal, modern and agile, the Indian Army will start replacing its over four-decade-old Russian-origin T-72 main battle tank with future-ready combat vehicles (FRCVs) from the year 2030. Stating that the project is very much within the stipulated timeline, the sources in the defence establishment told Asianet Newsable that the Army is procuring a total of 1,770 FRCVs in three phases with 550-600 to be procured in each phase.

"We expect that the developmental process would be completed in 4-5 years and it would take another 1.5-2 years for production to be rolled out. So by 2030, we will start inducting them in the armoured fleets," said the sources, adding that the last phase will be completed in the next 10-12 years.

One of the sources said that the FRCV, which will be procured in the first phase, would have existing technologies. The second phase will have advanced technologies while the third phase would be equipped with futuristic technologies.

The need to replace the ageing T-72 tanks was felt after considering the future threat spectrum and the 'combat overmatch' over the adversary. In June 2021, the government issued a request for information (RFI) to procure 1,770 new ‘state-of-the art’ ‘technology enabled’ tanks to operate in existing terrain configuration under varied temperature conditions.

The idea was to procure these FRCVs that will remain in the service for the next 40-50 years as the mainstay tanks of the Indian Army.

"Now, with the rapid pace in technology, there are ‘new’ threats to the ‘Tank’ from the aerial dimension with UCAVs, Loitering Munitions, among others. The improvement in ISR has also made targeting of Land Forces including the ‘Tank’ easier. The battlefield now requires all forces to operate in a synergetic and networked environment," the RFI had said.

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