But as Moscow remains embroiled in the protracted war with Ukraine, there is a void.Ī Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report tabled in the Indian Parliament in 2014 said that a comparative trial between the Arjun and the imported Russian T-90 tanks was done in April 2010 by the Indian Army. So far, Russia has been the leading defense exporter to Africa. The group comprises the UK, France, Germany, the US, Israel, South Korea, Russia, Japan, and China.įor African countries seeking armored tanks, the Indian tank is an economical and better option. The Arjun tank induction in the Indian Army also catapulted India into a select group of 10 countries that have designed and developed their main battle tanks.

The Indian Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) imbibed the Western philosophy for Arjun tanks and gave them heavy armored protection. The deployment of Arjun tanks, made bulky by their heavy armor, is restricted to Rajasthan’s desert region of India.Īrjun Mk1 is a 62-ton tank with a 120-millimeter gun, advanced composite armor, a 1,400-horsepower turbocharged engine, and advanced fire control and thermal sights. And African countries are potential buyers,” a defense official told the EurAsian Times. Its export seems only logical to keep the production line running. “India has spent both time and resources in developing the MBT. The first five MBTs would be delivered to the army 30 months after signing the agreement in 2021, followed by 30 MK-1As to be delivered each year until the remaining 113 platforms are handed over to complete two armored regiments by 2025-26. The contract with the OFB is to build 118 upgraded Mk-1A variants. The Indian Army already has 124 Arjun MBTs, among the world’s heaviest tanks at 68.25 tons. The order is scheduled to be completed by 2025-26, and to keep the production line running, India is scouting for potential customers for its MBT, also known as ‘hunter-killer.’ The Indian Army has already placed an order for 118 indigenously-built Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun with the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), and it will probably be its last order for the heavyweight tank.

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