Indian Land Forces equipment evolution By Paolo Valpolini
Considering the problems given by the Arjun MBT development, India recently ordered a new batch of T-90s part of which will be assembled locally. Š Indian DRDO
Since many years jointness has become a mantra in all first tier armed forces around the world, however one of the most numerous forces in the world, that of India, has until now maintained separate services, which led to a lack of coordination, each of the three services tending to structure, equip, plan and prepare for single service operations. India’s military strength exceeds 1.4 million personnel, second only to China and slightly ahead of the United States and North Korea, to which we must add over 1.1 million reserve personnel. The Army is definitely the most numerous of the three services, with 1,129,900 active and 960,000 reserve troops.
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India shares over 3,200 km of border with its historical opponent, Pakistan, and nearly 3,500 km with the Asian superpower, China. While recently the relationship with the latter seems to improve, that with Islamabad remains extremely tense, the hostilities of February 2019 having marked a peak in the struggle between the two countries. With border issues still on the table, the northern part of the
border along the so-called Line of Control does not constitute a legally recognized international boundary, how much the relationship between the two nuclear-armed countries will evolve remains a question mark even for local political analysts. What is absolutely certain is that New Delhi needs an effective military force to maintain its strength towards its neighbour.
EDR | January/February 2020
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