New Delhi: Opening a new chapter in the long defence cooperation between the two countries, Russia has offered India a joint production partnership for its advanced T-90MS main battle tank.
The proposal by Russian state defence exporter Rosoboronexport (ROE) involves manufacturing the latest tank variant in India through a phased localisation plan.
The T-90MS is the export version of Russias latest T-90M tank family, which has been designed and manufactured by Uralvagonzavod, a part of the Rostec defence group. Russia says producing the tank with Indian industry could become the next stage of cooperation in armoured vehicle manufacturing.
India operates a large fleet of Russian-origin T-72 and T-90S tanks, many of which are being upgraded through domestic defence facilities. According to Rosoboronexport, the existing experience of Indian companies in handling these platforms can help speed up the production process for the newer T-90MS.
Russias phased production plan for India
Rosoboronexport has suggested that the project could move forward in multiple stages. The first stage would involve supplying technology kits for assembly at Indian facilities, followed by increasing local manufacturing of components.
A representative of the company said, The technical foundation created by the technologies transferred significantly reduces both the cost and the time needed to establish production of the T-90MS and combat vehicles.
The proposal builds on decades of Russian-Indian defence manufacturing cooperation. India has previously produced T-90S tanks under licence, giving local industries experience in tank assembly, maintenance and supply chain management.
The Russian side believes this background can help India move towards producing a more advanced version without beginning from scratch.
What makes T-90MS different?
The T-90MS comes with several upgrades aimed at improving firepower, protection and battlefield awareness. The tank uses a digital onboard architecture and an upgraded fire-control system to improve target detection and engagement.
Its design includes an integrated information-command system along with newer ammunition options and guided missiles that increase its combat capability.
The tank also features a layered protection package, including explosive reactive armour, slat screens, electronic warfare systems designed to counter drones and an active protection system. Russian officials say these technologies are aimed at improving survivability in modern battle conditions.
Rostec CEO Sergey Chemezov earlier praised the T-90MS and highlighted its modern technologies and battlefield capabilities. Russian defence officials have claimed that the tank offers performance comparable to leading Western main battle tanks.
T-90MS and Indias future tank plans
The proposal comes at a time when the Indian Army is looking to modernise its armoured fleet. The Indian Army operates hundreds of T-90 tanks and has been upgrading existing platforms to improve their effectiveness.
The T-90MS shares several systems and components with earlier T-72 and T-90 variants already familiar to Indian industry. This could help with training, maintenance and logistics if production moves ahead.
A representative of Uralvagonzavod told Russias TASS news agency that Russian troops using the T-90M during the ongoing war with Ukraine had reported strong battlefield performance. The representative also compared the tank with Western platforms such as the US-made M1 Abrams and Germanys Leopard 2, claiming that the Russian tank had performed well against them.
No new production contract has been announced so far, but Moscows proposal shows its push to strengthen defence manufacturing ties with New Delhi. If the plan moves forward, the T-90MS could become another major example of India and Russia working together on military production.
The proposed collaboration could help India modernise its armoured fleet and expand local manufacturing capacity. The move also fits into Russias decades-old defence partnership with New Delhi.