The Indian Army is enhancing its tank-based offensive capabilities, with the Ministry of Defence issuing a request for information (RFI) for the procurement of 1,500 new-generation anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) launchers. These missiles, expected to total around 20,000, aim to improve the Army’s ability to strike tanks and armoured vehicles. The procurement will be under the “Buy (Indian-IDDM)” category, requiring at least 60% indigenous content, focusing on products designed, developed, and manufactured locally. The RFI seeks to identify Indian vendors capable of supplying these ATGMs and their launcher systems within four years.
The new ATGM systems are required to operate in varied terrains, including plains, deserts, high-altitude regions, and coastal areas, with functionality in extreme temperatures ranging from -45 to +45 degrees Celsius. The weapons should be effective in day and night conditions and capable of destroying enemy tanks, armoured vehicles, low-flying helicopters, and fortified structures. Additionally, the design must allow for future upgrades without major structural changes. These systems will likely be deployed along India’s borders with Pakistan and China, where tank-based operations have already proven successful, especially in the challenging terrains of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Currently, the Indian Army uses second-generation French-origin Milan and Soviet-era Konkur ATGMs, along with the indigenous Nag missile. In April, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully completed trials of the third-generation Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM), which boasts day/night operational capability and advanced top-attack features. The RFI signifies the Army’s push to upgrade its arsenal with more advanced, homegrown missile systems.
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