India Army Armoured Vehicles

[Gessler]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1835264469028728860

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1834590301161439336

 

[Nilgiri]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1846496614812127443

 

[Soldier30]

The Sudarshan Chakra Corps of the Southern Command of the Indian Army conducted the Swavlamban Shakti military exercise. During the exercise, the Indian T-90S Bhishma tanks were seen wearing the anti-drone protection system called Mangal, the first time this type of protection has appeared on Russian and Ukrainian tanks. The Swavlamban Shakti exercise was conducted to enhance combat capabilities by integrating niche and emerging technologies into army units. More than 1,800 personnel, 210 armored vehicles, 50 specialized vehicles and numerous air and air assets participated in the exercise.

 

[Gessler]

Zorawar during recent high-altitude trials in Ladakh:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1867242486323966445

via VictorForce on X:

 

[Afif]

Exclusive: India to become first foreign producer of Stryker armored fighting vehicles with US approval

Exclusive: India to become first foreign producer of Stryker armored fighting vehicles with US approval

armyrecognition.com

I think they are probably not interested in WhAP.

 

[Nilgiri]

Exclusive: India to become first foreign producer of Stryker armored fighting vehicles with US approval

Exclusive: India to become first foreign producer of Stryker armored fighting vehicles with US approval

armyrecognition.com

I think they are probably not interested in WhAP.

It says "considering" "530" for 10 battalions.

Even if that all goes tic tac toe, the number of BMP-2 in IA is ~ 2400.

So I am pretty sure the WhAP/ Kestrel program will get big orders as well.

 

[Gessler]

Exclusive: India to become first foreign producer of Stryker armored fighting vehicles with US approval

Exclusive: India to become first foreign producer of Stryker armored fighting vehicles with US approval

armyrecognition.com

I think they are probably not interested in WhAP.

It says "considering" "530" for 10 battalions.

Even if that all goes tic tac toe, the number of BMP-2 in IA is ~ 2400.

So I am pretty sure the WhAP/ Kestrel program will get big orders as well.

If one were to zoom out, I think a certain pattern begins to emerge.

Look at everything from rifles, ATGMs, artillery, helicopter gunships & now armoured vehicles.

There's gonna be a significant chunk of the Indian Army that would be able to operate combined arms formations alongside US Brigade Combat Teams with high interoperability, while the rest of the Army won't (at least not to the same extent).

SIG716s with NATO-spec calibre for some, AK203 for everyone else
Spike/Javelin for some, MPATGM/Amogha-3 for everyone else
M777 & K9 for some, indigenous Arty for everyone else
AH64E for some, LCH for everyone else
Stryker for some, WhAP for everyone else
NATO-spec 105mm LTs for some, 125mm MBTs for everyone else

Of course, we're making the cost argument for why there's a division in a lot of this stuff (along with other reasons, like no other offer available in that role), but looking at things from a wider perspective, I wonder if that's all there is to it.

For strategic reasons, it would make sense to have at least some of the China-facing formations interoperable with NATO-spec equipment, in case if it either comes down to operating alongside US forces or at least be able to immediately absorb NATO-spec resupplies/consumables (ammo, shells, ISR inputs etc.) that might or might not come in.

Also for strategic reasons, we might have decided to not talk about this openly.

I'm curious as to how we'll manage the all-important Comms/BMS layout though. I wonder if this is why the old BMS plan got shelved & why it's taking so long to draw up the Theatre Commands & IBGs. They're probably having to redraw not just the tactical aspect but the strategic aspect of each formation as well.