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The Indian Army has issued a tender to support its program for the restoration and life extension of in-service T-72 main battle tanks (MBTs). According to a request for information (RFI) issued by the Indian Army on November 21, the program – named ‘Overhaul II of Tank T-72‘ – is carried out to ensure restoration of the T-72 to “as good as new condition”.

The program seeks to “neutralise effects of age, usage, and restoration of T-72 to near-zero hour [and] zero km state of operational readiness”, the RFI said.

The T-72 restoration process comprises “stripping of the tank, removal of assemblies, stripping of the repairable assemblies, inspection of the components of repairable assemblies, and replacement of assemblies [that are not repairable] with new ones”, the RFI added.

The process also includes “100% replacement of parts that have limited shelf life such as gaskets, seals, rings, bearings, fasteners, washers, and so on; testing of assemblies; integration in tanks; and quality assurance”, the RFI said.

The program, according to the Indian Army, includes rectification of major/minor weld defects and worn-out portions of the T-72 hull; replacement or revalidation of rubber parts, metal pipes, and engine sub-assemblies; and replacement or revalidation of cooling, fuel, lubrication, air induction, exhaust, and transmission systems components.

Indigenisation of Ammunition

Rising conflicts globally have posed challenges and disrupted supply chains. The ongoing war in Ukraine and before that the Ladakh stand-off made it imperative that a clear road map for ammunition procurement and long –term requirement should be in place.

The efforts to secure supply chains and avoid any impact on operational preparedness has led to finalisation of the long-term requirement for a decade and a clear road map for ammunition procurement has been put in place. About 85% of the ammunition requirement has been indigenised, from both the public and private sectors.

The aim is to build up ammunition stocks to desired levels, minimise imports and achieve self-sufficiency in the country, have multiple sources of supply, and possess indigenous manufacturing capability. First step is to indigenise all import-dependent ammunition — major platforms with long-term requirement.

Indigenisation of more than 30 variants, amounting to about Rs 16,000 crores as part of import minimisation, is under way and five or six variants of ammunition have been identified for production through the Indian industry, which will expand the indigenous vendor base. Subsequently, next-generation high-tech ammunition based on research and development is being identified for in-house development.

Bulk of the ammunition is being met by the Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and the rest by the Indian industry. Less than 10% is met purely through direct imports and there is also some amount of legacy platforms in small numbers that are in the process of being phased out.

Under the three rounds of emergency financial powers granted by the Defence Ministry, the armed forces had undertaken major procurement and stocking of spares and ammunition. The fourth round of emergency procurement was completed recently and it ensured enough stocks of critical ammunition and also helped offset delays to some extent in deliveries of spares, components and ammunition since the war in Ukraine broke out in February 2022.

Most of the Indian Army’s armoured fleet is of Russian-origin and the air defence has several legacy systems. Currently, about 10 to 12 ammunition categories in over 30 variants are being indigenised on priority and these are undergoing field trials.

With several Indian private companies now in the race to manufacture ammunition in the country, the ammunition stocking through indigenisation efforts will help Army’s operational preparedness to meet future threats.

Pinaka Rockets for Rs 2800 Crore Approved

In a bid to augment the Indian Army’s arsenal, the Defence Ministry has approved a Rs 2,800 crore proposal for buying around 6,400 of two types of rockets for Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher systems, designated as Area Denial Munition Type-2 and Type-3.

The Indian Army will procure the rockets exclusively from indigenous sources and two main contenders include the Economic Explosives Limited of Solar Industries and the Munitions India Limited– a key ammunition-producer created by the corporatisation of the erstwhile Ordnance Factories.

The indigenous Pinaka weapon system has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation. The weapon system is one of the first few Indian military systems exported to foreign nations, including Armenia. Private sector companies Larsen & Toubro, Tata Defence and Economic Explosives Limited involved in the project have set up production lines for the Pinaka system that are being supplied in bulk to the armed forces.

The army has a requirement of 22 regiments of the Pinaka MBRL as part of larger artillery modernisation plans. Pinaka regiments of the Indian Army include launchers with automated gun aiming and positioning systems and command posts.

70,000 More Sig Sauer Assault Rifles

The defence ministry has approved the purchase of more than 70,000 Sig Sauer assault rifles, giving its personnel a significant increase in firepower for use in terrorist operations and other missions.

The purchase of over 70,000 of Sig Sauer assault rifles is estimated to cost over Rs 800 crore. The military originally decided to purchase these rifles because it desired a weapon with a greater range. Among a number of contenders, the SiG 716 assault rifle was selected due to its superior calibre and longer range. Additionally, it is said to be more deadly than the AK-47 and its variations in the service, as well as the INSAS rifle.

In February 2019, 72,400 SiG 716 rifles (7.62 x 51mm calibre) were purchased from SIG Sauer of the US; 66,400 of them were for the Army, 4,000 for the Air Force, and 2,000 for the Navy. The American-made assault guns, which are being deployed by personnel in the Kashmir valley and the Ladakh section of the China border, have already resulted in over 70,000 indictments by India.

To improve its conventional and anti-terrorist capabilities, the Indian troops have also received a sizable quantity of Russian AK-103s. The AK-203, which is now being made at an ordnance facility in Amethi, will also soon be available to the Indian troops.

Handheld Thermal Image Devices

The Indian Army is in the process to induct around 10,000 Hand Held Thermal Imager-Uncooled (HHTI-UC) devices, for which the Request for Information (RFI) has been issued.

As per the RFI sought from the vendors, it requires the “HHTI-UC with latest technology parameters to enable soldiers to carry out surveillance up to 3,000 metres.” The surveillance device should enable day and night surveillance with a combination of high-resolution optical viewer, digital (low light) and thermal (uncooled) sensors.

The surveillance device should facilitate judging distance of area under surveillance using laser range finders, acquisition of magnetic bearing using DMC and provide own location to users employing inbuilt satellite navigation systems, including NAVIC (Navigation with Indian Constellation).

The surveillance device should weigh less than 3 kgs and facilitate recording and storage of minimum three hours of SD videos with removable storage devices. It should also enable seamless wired or wireless connectivity of minimum up to 50 metres with standard interfaces.

Once the vendors respond to the RFI, “Tentative date of issue of Request for Proposal (RFP) is June 2024. The total quantity required is approximately 10,000,” the RFI says. The procurement will be “in a phased manner, the desired quantity should be delivered within six months to twenty four months from the day of advance payment”.

The vendors should confirm in their response their capability of delivering requisite quantity of HHTI-UC within the stipulated time frame. Vendors are expected to forward the required documents and details by December 26 this year, the RFI said.

As per the RFI sought from the vendors, it requires the “HHTI-UC with latest technology parameters to enable soldiers to carry out surveillance up to 3,000 metres”. The surveillance device should facilitate judging distance of area under surveillance using laser range finders, it said.

AI-Enabled Gun-Mounted Scope

An indigenously-developed scope that can be fitted on any small weapon and turn it into a smart weapon is being tested by the Indian Army. The smart scope is powered by Artificial Intelligence that can detect humans up to 300 metres and also extensively boost border and close combat operations. Using AI algorithm and sensory data, it can tell the shooter when to fire. It had an 80-90% accuracy when tested for 100-300 metres

The smart scope is currently at its prototype stage, but a miniature version can be made too. The scope can help achieve one shot one hit capability and easily turn a soldier into a marksman. The scope first detects the target and makes a red bounding box, after which the camera checks for alignment using the laser and finder. Once the target box turns green, the shooter is alerted that he can fire.

The scope currently has only day firing capability, but it can be turned into night firing device too. The day camera has 50mm lens and 30X zoom.

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The Indian Army has been diversifying its small arms inventory, as part of an attempt to phase out its aging assault rifles and light machine guns. The Indian domestically-produced Small Arms System (INSAS) has been in use since 1998.

AK-203 7.62x39mm Assault Rifle

Russia’s state arms seller Rosoboron-export, which is part of the state tech corporation Rostec, has prepared a contract for signing with India on the delivery of the latest 7.62x39mm AK-203 assault rifles. Compared to the baseline AK-203 version, the variant being produced for India has a fixed side-folding stock, but is otherwise similar in design to the version being employed by the Russian military.

The assault rifle weighs 3.8 kg empty, and it has a rate of fire of 700 rounds per minute and is accurate to a range of 800 meters. The AK-203 assault rifle designed for the Indian Amy features a 415mm barrel and it is equipped with a Picatinny rail, which can be used with a variety of sights or scopes as well as flashlight and other equipment.

New Carbine

The Indian Army has issued a fresh Request for Information (RFI) for a fast-track procurement of 93,895 carbines. This comes five months after the defence ministry revoked the case for procuring a similar number of carbines under the Fast-Track Procedure (FTP).

The RFIs were issued on 10 February to multiple Indian and global manufacturers, including Caracal, Colt, SiG Sauer, Beretta, Thales and Adani Defence. In 2018, UAE gun maker Caracal’s CAR 816 carbine had emerged as the lowest bidder in the FTP initiated by the Indian Army for a new compact weapon to replace its World War 2 vintage 9 mm 1A1 ‘Sterling’ carbine. As before, the army wants the new carbine chambered for the 5.56×45 mm cartridge. At just a single page, the army’s new RFI is far simpler compared to its three-page RFI in 2018. The service aims to procure the weapons within a year of the contract signing.

The size of this deal is not yet known, but if one were to make estimation from Caracal’s 2018 bid, then it would likely be upwards of $110 million (over Rs 800 crore).

Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, who heads the Defence Procurement Board (DPB), finally pulled the plug on the acquisition last September. The earlier deal was questioned by senior defence ministry officials on two grounds.

•             The carbines were costlier than the US-made SiG 716 assault rifles also imported under the FTP last year for over Rs 700 crore; and.

•             The defence ministry officials noted that no part of the weapon was being manufactured indigenously.

Last September, Caracal had offered to manufacture all the rifles in-country as part of the government’s Make in India initiative. The UAE government-owned arms maker said it would also oversee technology transfer.

Top army officials had also explored options for purchasing a smaller quantity of around 25,000 carbines from the UAE manufacturer, but this idea seems to have been abandoned in favour of a fresh contract.

M4 Armoured Vehicles

On 23 February 2021, an emergency order was placed by the Indian Army for the procurement of M4 armoured vehicles. These vehicles have undergone intensive tests in Ladakh during the standoff with China in 2020. These vehicles are going to be purchased from Pune-based private sector company Bharat Forge of the Kalyani group.

A company statement said, on 23 February, that “an order worth Rs 177.95 crore has been received from the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) for the supply of Kalyani M4 vehicles”.

Such wheeled armoured vehicles are required for transporting troops and have the capability of being operated in high altitudes.

These armoured vehicles which have undergone intensive trials in high altitudes along with other competitors come with certain extra features as compared to the regular vehicles.

It is a multi-role platform, and has the capability of quick mobility in rough terrain and those areas which are affected by IED and mine threats.

According to the company, this vehicle has ballistic and blast protection from up to 50 kg TNT side blast, or IED or roadside bombs, all because of the design. It is built on a flat-floor monocoque hull and has a thrust speed of 140 km per hour. With a payload of 2.3 tonnes, it can operate in a range of about 800 km.

The original product is from South African Paramount Group, whose M4 has been modified as per the Indian conditions and requirements of the end user by Bharat Forge.

Futuristic Communication System

With the increasing dominance of the electronic spectrum, cyber warfare and artificial intelligence, the Army has laid the groundwork to introduce a futuristic communication system for providing secure and seamless inter-connectivity between its war-fighting elements and also enhance situational awareness.

“The Indian Army is planning a long-term evolution (LTE)-based communication grid with Internet of Military Things (IoMT) sensor network for providing failsafe, robust and secure communication to its formations and units along the northern and eastern borders,” a RFI states.

This will require designing and developing, with industry support, a communication grid with its radio access network, core network and IoMT compatible network along with sensors and interfaces to provide surveillance, situational awareness, sensor network and compatible interfaces for legacy surveillance devices currently in the Army’s inventory.

LTE is a standard for wireless broadband communication for mobile devices that increases the capacity and speed of data transfer and provides several add-on facilities. IoMT is a type of Internet of Things designed for combat operations and warfare based upon smart technology and artificial intelligence.

The network would facilitate a state of the art mobile communication and sensor network for troops operating in a counter-insurgency environment, rugged mountains and jungles overlooking the Line of Control and international borders through the use of handheld communication devices and e-tabs.

The project envisions high grade and reliable mobile communication with a layer of security for voice, data and video communication to make the traffic secure and make the network free from the possibility of intrusion and interception, prevent unauthorized access.

The proposed LTE-based communication grid with IoMT sensor network will also be capable of interoperability with existing mobile communication network and would be integrated into the armed forces’ current and futuristic communication infrastructure and networks.

It will also have an IoMT sensor network, seismic, pressure and ultrasonic ground sensors autonomous UAVs and drones, information nodes, helmet-mounted cameras and interfaces for current surveillance equipment as well as an ecosystem for controlling and monitoring the sensor data from all IoMT devices.

Only Indian vendors and those who tie-ups with foreign original equipment manufacturers having their registered offices along with operations, maintenance and repair infrastructure in India would be allowed to participate in the project.

Army Has Alternative to WhatsApp

From April 1, the Indian Army is likely to start using SAI (Secure Application for Internet), a messaging platform, for internal communications, Army chief General M.M. Naravane said on 24 February.

He said the application, developed by Colonel Sai Shankar, was undergoing the process of getting cyber and security clearance and data testing.

The application supports end-to-end secure voice, text and video-calling services for Android platforms over the internet – equivalent of WhatsApp.

The application supports end-to-end secure voice, text and video-calling services for Android platforms over the internet.

The model is similar to commercially available messaging applications such as WhatsApp, Telegram, SAMVAD and GIMS, and utilises the end-to-end encryption messaging protocol. SAI scores over these platforms in terms of security features with local in-house servers and coding, which can be tweaked as per requirements.

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The requirement of these weapons for the infantry is huge with over 380 infantry and 63 Rashtriya Rifles battalions. The Army requires around 9.5 lakh assault rifles, 4.6 lakh CQB carbines and over 57,000 LMGs.

ALSO READ: Army Modernisation : Frontline Troops Get SIG 716 Assault Rifles

Emergency procurements from abroad to meet critical operational requirements are underway. Bulk of the requirements will be met by `Make in India’ projects with foreign collaboration.

Assault Rifles

The contract for the second lot of 72,000 SiG Sauer assault rifles from the US is set to be inked by December. That would make it a total of 1.4 lakh SiG Sauer rifles. Simultaneously, the Army wants the ‘Make in India’ project to manufacture over seven lakh Kalashnikov AK-203 rifles, at the Korwa ordnance factory in Uttar Pradesh with Russian collaboration, to take off as soon as possible. The 7.62×39 mm caliber AK-203 rifles (with an effective range of 300-meter) will take care of the remaining requirement.

The manufacture of AK-203 rifles through the joint venture (JV) between OFB and Rosonboronexport-Kalashnikov, which was set up in February 2019, was stuck due to costing issues.

Light Machine Guns and Carbines

The deliveries of 16,479 Israeli Negev 7.62X51 mm LMGs will begin from January 2021 under a Rs 880 crore deal inked in March 2020. Indian companies have already been shortlisted for the subsequent project to manufacture the rest of the LMGs in India.

The RFP (request for proposal) to manufacture 4.6 lakh CQB carbines in India will also be issued in early 2021, after an earlier FTP procurement to buy 93,895 such carbines from UAE firm Caracal was scrapped. Caracal is still in the race. It has offered to invest 49 per cent in a Joint Venture with a domestic manufacturer with full technology transfer  for 93,895 CQB carbines.

ALSO READ: The Small Arms Market Scenario in India

After going through the technical evaluation under the tender, the Indian Army had chosen the CARACAL’s CAR 816 to arm the Indian soldiers, after it emerged as the lowest bidder when commercial bids were opened on Oct. 4, 2018. The next day, the Emirati company was handed over a draft contract, but there was no progress since then.

In January 2018, the current fast-track procurement of the 93,895 carbines had been approved for tendering by the Defence Acquisition Council, in a deal that was said to be worth at least Rs 2,000 crore ($270 million in today’s currency conversion).

The Army had first asked for new assault rifles and CQB carbines in 2005, while the case for LMGs was initiated in 2009. The long-drawn procurement projects were repeatedly scrapped due to graft allegations or unrealistic technical parameters.

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The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), on 28 September, approved the procurement of arms and military equipment worth Rs 2,290 crore including around 72,000 Sig Sauer assault rifles from the United States.

Besides clearing the proposal to buy the rifles, the other notable acquisitions approved by the DAC include procurement of smart anti- airfield weapon (SAAW) systems for the Navy and the Indian Air Force (IAF) for Rs 970 crore, Static HF Tans-receiver sets for seamless communication for the field units of the Army and the Air Force at a cost of Rs 540 crore. These two items are being procured under the ‘Buy Indian (IDDM)‘ category of the Defence Procurement Procedure 2016. IDDM stands for Indigenously Designed, Developed, and Manufactured, a procurement category to encourage purchases from domestic vendors.

The government was fast-tracking procurement of 72,000 Sig Sauer assault rifles at a time Indian Army is locked in a bitter border row with China in eastern Ladakh. India and China have been militarily facing off in the over 1,000-km Line of Actual Control in Ladakh region since May this year and there are no signs of a thaw in the confrontation between their armies. The conflict seems to be moving in the direction of a long haul that could extend into the 2020 winter and beyond, unless a miraculous resolution takes place before that.

The cost of procurement of the Sig Sauer assault rifles for the frontline troops of the Indian Army will be Rs 780 crore ($101 mn). The Army is implementing a mega infantry modernisation programme under which a large number of light machine guns, battle carbines and assault rifles are being purchased to replace its ageing and obsolete weapons. Priority is being accorded for infantry modernisation as part of the larger process to further enhance combat capability of the Army.

In October, 2017, the Indian Army began the process to acquire around seven lakh rifles, 44,000 light machine guns (LMGs) and nearly 44,600 carbines. The world’s second largest standing Army has been pushing for fast-tracking the procurement of various weapons systems considering the evolving security challenges along India’s borders with Pakistan and China.

The SIG Sauer SIG716 7.62-mm assault rifles are a replacement for the Indian Small Arms System (or INSAS) 5.56mmX45mm rifles that are the standard personal weapon issued to the Indian armed forces personnel from the four services and is made by the Ordnance Factory Board. The assault rifles purchase is the second tranche of acquisition of this battle-proven weapon. The first tranche of the same number of rifles were bought in the recent years. The decision to buy these assault rifles has been taken after successfully deploying and using them in Kashmir during homeland security and low intensity conflict.

India is also currently pursuing a joint production for Russian-origin AK-203 Kalashnikov rifles at a plant in Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.

UAE Firm Caracal Selected for Carbines

The fast track procurement of close quarter battle (CQB) carbines to replace the Indian Army’s current 9mm Sterling carbines, with higher bullet velocity and reduced weight compared to the Sterling carbines, is at a tricky juncture. At a meeting held in September, chaired by the defence secretary, it was decided that the plan to import a limited number of carbines to meet immediate requirements would be shelved in favour of a Make in India plan.

However, the high-powered Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) still has to ratify the decision and the army has been of the opinion that a larger order for 350,000 carbines can be processed under the Make in India initiative but the fast track procurement of 93,895 should go ahead due to the urgent nature of the requirement.

Caracal was awarded the CQB Carbine contract in 2018 to supply the Indian Army with the CAR 816, after having undergone a rigorous selection process. The company has agreed to fast track the supply but the contract and formalities were still under discussion.

The UAE government-owned entity, Caracal International, says that is in talks with major Indian defence players to set up manufacturing facilities from which it can source up to 60% of the components needed. It can also make 100% in India in the future if the government-owned intellectual property (IP) is assured to be protected.

The CAR 816 is a center-fire, gas-operated tactical rifle, chambered in 5.56×45 mm NATO. The CAR 816 assault rifle is a tactical weapon designed for the high-end use of law enforcement and military applications.  CAR 816 operates on short-stroke piston system with three settings. It has semi-automatic only and select-fire models and the rifle is available in multiple barrel lengths with full ambidextrous configuration.

OFB Carbine

A carbine produced by the Ordnance Factory Board at its facility in Ishapore has been offered to the armed forces who are now evaluating it for acquisition.

If selected, the OFB carbine will undergo rigorous testing and initially be inducted in limited numbers only by the defence forces.

Dragunov Sniper Rifle Upgrade

The long-awaited upgrade of the legendary Dragunov sniper rifle, commonly known in the armed forces as DSR, could soon be a reality as an Indian private company – SSS Defence – has come out with an upgrade, with night-firing capability and reduced recoil, besides giving it a bipod.

The Northern Command came out with a Request for Proposal for the upgrade of 90 pieces of the nearly three-decade-old rifle. The Army is estimated to have anywhere between 6,000-7,000 pieces.

The DSR has an effective range of around 800 metres. The mission criteria and nature of operations has changed over time. The sniper scopes that can be used in conjunction are limited to a 4x magnification and modern day sniper scopes cannot be mounted at all.

Also, the weapon cannot use stability-imparting accessories like a bipod.

The barrel of a DSR can easily fire up to 7,000 rounds and most have not done more than 3,000 each, thus having potential for upgrade with a long life ahead. The Army will easily take a few years to acquire and induct a more lethal sniper weapon with effective ranges of 1.2 km and above.

Case for SPAD-GMS System Withheld

The acquisition case for Self Propelled Air Defence Gun Missile System (SPAD-GMS) – the Indian Army wants five regiments of the guns that can be deployed with forward moving forces and can be quickly relocated on the basis of threat perception – has also been cancelled after South Korean company Hanwa’s K 30 Biho was shortlisted by the Army.

The estimated $ 2.5 billion contract for new air defence systems for the Army has been hanging fire since last year after Russia protested that it had been unfairly disqualified from the competition in which the Korean company was shortlisted.

Both the Russian upgraded Tunguska M1 and Pantsir missile systems failed to qualify for the acquisition of 104 system that are needed by the Army, promoting a formal complaint to the Independent Monitors (IMs) set up within the MoD to monitor acquisition cases.

The IMs recommended that the Russians be given another chance to prove the system. This however, was found to be unfair by the acquisition wing that had pointed out that a re-trial opportunity at this late stage would set a dangerous new precedent and would vitiate the principle of a level playing field.

While the recommendation was to expedite the contract negotiation or move for a retrial at the earliest, the contract has now been scrapped keeping in mind new plans under the Make in India initiative.

The two programmes would come as a welcome surprise for the Indian industry, particularly the private sector, which has developed capabilities over the past few years to manufacture such systems domestically.

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This proposed purchase follows an order for 72,400 assault rifles placed with the US last year, and is expected to be made by invoking a key clause in India’s arms buying rules that governs speeding up purchases to meet urgent requirements, said one of the officials cited above.

India signed the previous order worth Rs 700 crore in early 2019 and the deliveries of all the rifles have been completed. That order was also made through the fast track procedure (FTP) prescribed in India’s defence procurement rules.

The Sig Sauer rifles are being bought to meet the army’s requirement of a total of 8 lakh assault rifles, said a second official. The new assault rifles will gradually replace the flaw-ridden 5.56mm INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) rifles inducted around 22 years ago.

The remaining requirements of the army will be met through a Make in India project for the local production of AK-203 assault rifles at Amethi’s Korwa, and this procurement is in its final stage with a committee ironing out pricing issues, said a third person.

The FTP can be invoked in cases where “undue/unforeseen delay” in buying weapons is seen to be adversely impacting the military’s capacity and preparedness.

According to rules, weapons sought under the FTP should already be in the military’s armoury, have been trial evaluated or be in service in foreign militaries so that the time required for evaluation is minimised.

India has also ordered more stocks of Excalibur precision guided munitions from the US for its artillery guns, while Russia assured swifter delivery of weapons and ammunition during defence minister Rajnath Singh’s visit to Moscow last month.

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