More teeth for Army, T-90 deal clinched

More teeth for Army, T-90 deal clinched
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

NEW DELHI, FEB 15: India and Russia today signed a major defence deal worth 650 million US dollars for outright purchase of 310 frontline T-90 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) armed with `Reflecks' guided missiles that would give the army the capability to engage targets 5 km away.

The deal signed after over 90 minutes of one-to-one talks between the visiting Russian Deputy Prime Minister Illya Klebanov and Defence Minister George Fernandes also provides for licence production of the Russian MBT at Avadi heavy vehicles plant near Chennai and also its critical sub-systems in India.

Describing the deal as "significant", Fernandes told mediapersons after the signing ceremony that "we want to manufacture many more of these tanks in India". He did not specify their numbers.

Fernandes said that the two sides also discussed other major defence deals besides holding talks on the situation in the South and Central Asian regions.

Though the Defence Minister refused to go into specifics, highly placed defence sources said the two sides were close to clinching a deal for lease of four long range maritime reconnaissance TU-22M aircraft for the Navy.

The TU-22M which can double up as long range bombers are armed with KH-22 and KH-35 cruise missiles and are also capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

The T-90 tanks have a range of 500 km and besides the 5,000 metre range Reflecks guided missiles, are also armed with six laser guided tandem warhead missiles to pierce tanks fitted with reactive armour.

Defence Ministry officials said Russia will deliver 124 tanks in fully assembled state and the remaining in semi-knocked down conditions. Fernandes hinted that the first batch of the Russian MBT's was likely to be inducted into the Indian army later this year.

Three prototypes of the tanks have already undergone exhaustive battlefield trials in the Thar desert and in tank ranges at Ahmednagar.

The acquisition of the T-90 tanks armed with high-powered V-92 diesel engines developing 1,100 hp thrust will give the Indian Army strike formations an edge over Pakistan, which has recently inducted 300 Ukranian T-80U tanks.

The tanks, unlike the T-72 tanks, are equipped with night visions and for improved battlefield survivability are fitted with TSHUP-7 SHOTRA counter measures which the Pakistani T-80 also have.

On either of the tank a battery of six electrically operated 81mm smoke grenade launchers are mounted to give it smokescreen in high speed battle operations.

The first of the three agreements was signed on behalf of the Russian federation by Sergei Chemisov, first deputy director general of the armament bureau and Ranjit Isar, joint secretary (ordinance) in the ministry of defence. The second was signed by Om Prakash, another joint secretary in the ministry, and the third by C R Mahapatra joint secretary (supplies).

When asked what were the other topics which figured during the talks, Fernandes said "we discussed what we have to."

He said that the second meeting of the recently set up Indo-Russian joint military and technical commission would be held in St Petersburg in March.

The meeting is likely to finalise details about other major acquisitions like carrier Admiral Groshkov, naval versions of MIG-29 jet fighters and delivery schedule of upgraded SU-30MKI versions.