The conflict in Ukraine has shown that main battle tanks and other ground combat vehicles are still very much relevant in modern warfare.
Tensions between India and Pakistan remain sky-high after a terrorist attack in the Indian city of Pahalgam prompted New Delhi to launch air strikes against Pakistan. In the hours after the strikes, the Pakistani government claimed to have shot down five Indian fighter jets and one unmanned aerial vehicle. India has not verified or denied the claims, but reports indicate that it has lost at least one Dassault Rafale fighter jet, and likely other aircraft as well.
If India fails to meet success in the air war over Pakistan, it seems possible that the tensions between the two neighbors could turn into sustained border clashes—or perhaps even a ground war.
There are reasons to suspect that this might not happen. Countries around the world, including both the United States and China, are appealing to both sides for an end to the fighting. But if the current tensions were to result in a full-blown conflict and ground confrontation, the Indian military would have an advantage in a key aspect of ground combat: its main battle tanks.
India Has One of the Largest Tank Fleets in the World
The Indian Army packs a massive punch when it comes to main battle tanks. All in all, the Indian Army has an eye-popping 3,700 main battle tanks of all types. Specifically, it is estimated that New Delhi has around 125 Arjun, 1,200 T-90S/MS Bhishma, and 2,400 T-72 Ajeya tanks.
To be sure, not all of these vehicles are cutting-edge. The Arjun is more advanced than the T-90S/MS Bhishma, and both are far more capable than the venerable T-72 Ajeya. As a third-generation tank, the Arjun packs a 120mm main gun and is protected by composite and explosive reactive armor.
In general, the combat readiness of India’s tank fleet is closely guarded by New Delhi. However, armies will have a good number of tanks ready for combat at all times, keeping the rest in reserve. It is assumed that India’s Ministry of Defence began to prepare its tanks soon after the Pahalgam attack, in preparation for a ground war with Pakistan.
Both the T-90S/MS Bhishma and T-72 Ajeya are of Soviet or Russian design, while the more modern Arjun was designed and built in India. However, the Indian military has customized its T-90 and T-72 tanks according to Indian conditions, making them distinct from their Russian progenitor. This is why each tank has an Indian name in addition to the Russian numbering.
India Is Redesigning Its Tank Force to Meet Its Needs
Although New Delhi has long maintained a “non-aligned” stance in international affairs—balancing it precariously between the United States and Russia in terms of foreign policy and military procurement—much of its military equipment is of Russian origin, the product of a longtime collaboration between the two countries. Successive Indian governments have gradually moved away from this model, importing equipment from the United States and increasingly designing and manufacturing it within India. However, replacing thousands of main battle tanks takes years, if not decades.
The Indian military is also working on a light tank that would be ideal for combat in mountainous terrain, such as that found along the Sino-Indian border and within the disputed Kashmir region—a tinderbox for India-Pakistan crises and the location of the Pahalgam attack. The Zorawar, as the proposed light tank will be called, is still under development, with a limited number of prototypes available for testing. The Indian military expects it to be fully operational by 2027.
The conflict in Ukraine has shown that main battle tanks and other ground combat vehicles are still very much relevant in modern warfare. Both the Ukrainian and Russian forces rely heavily on armor in offensive and defensive operations. To be sure, do not expect the massive tank battles of the past. But tanks are here to stay, and a ground conflict between India and Pakistan would undoubtedly feature tank combat.
About the Author: Stavros Atlamazoglou
Stavros Atlamazoglou is a seasoned defense journalist specializing in special operations and a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ). He holds a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and an MA from the Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). His work has been featured in Business Insider, Sandboxx, and SOFREP.
Image: Shutterstock / Singh Danvir.
