SP's Land Forces 3/2023

The tank must be built first and foremost to be suited to the type of war an army is prepared to fight Major General Atanu K. Pattanaik (Retd)

The deep-rooted turmoil due to drugs, land rights, and historical divisions has unleashed chaos in Manipur

Major General Atanu K. Pattanaik (Retd) PAGE 6

India’s Future Tank: Need for a Parallel Approach

The emergence of disruptive technologies and the concept of “Disruption in Military Affairs (DMA)” pose new challenges for future warfare, necessitating a re-evaluation of armoured fighting vehicle strategies

Major General Rajiv Narayanan (Retd)

APPOINTMENTS

Lt General Rakesh

Kapoor assumed the appointment of the Deputy Chief of the Army Staff, DCOAS (IS & C) of Indian Army on June 9, 2023. Prior to assuming this key appointment, he was serving as General Officer Commanding, Desert Corps.

Lt General Manoj Kumar Katiyar, assumed the appointment of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Command, July 1, 2023. Prior to this, he was the Director General of Military operations (DGMO) of Indian Army.

Lt General Pratik

Sharma assumed the appointment of the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) on July 1, 2023. Prior to this, he was commanding the Kharga Corps.

Army Chief Visit Enhances Defence Cooperation with Bangladesh

Strengthening defence ties and fostering regional cooperation, Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande’s visit to Bangladesh highlights the growing partnership between the two nations

 LT GENERAL P.C. KATOCH (RETD)

INDIAN ARMY CHIEF GENERAL Manoj

Pande made a two-day visit to Bangladesh in the first week June 2023.

This was his second visit to Bangladesh as Army Chief. His first visit was in July 2022 – his very first foreign visit after becoming Chief, which signifies the importance of India-Bangladesh bilateral relations and defence cooperation. Bangladesh is an important partner in India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy. Both countries are cooperating extensively in trade and commerce, power and energy, transport and connectivity, science and technology, defence and security, maritime affairs, climate change

and sustainable development, training programmes, joint exercises, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).

Defence cooperation between India and Bangladesh has made significant progress in the last few years. The 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s Liberation was in 2021. Two defence agreements were signed between Bangladesh and India during Sheikh Hasina’s four-day trip to New Delhi in April 2017. These were the first such pacts inked by India with any of its neighbours. Under these agreements, the militaries of the two countries will conduct joint exercises and training. India will help Bangladesh set up manufacturing and service centres for defence platforms that both

countries possess with the aim of achieving self-sufficiency in defence manufacturing in Bangladesh, and will also provide the Bangladesh military with expert training, and technical and logistic support. India also extended its first ever defence-related line of credit to a neighbouring country, by providing Bangladesh with $500 million to purchase defence equipment from India.

The Bangladesh Chief of Army Staff visited India in April 2023 and reviewed the passing out parade at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai. Bilateral events like joint military exercises and frequent visits by senior military officers contribute to enhancing the militaryto-military relations between both nations.

General Manoj Pande, Chief of the Army Staff of the Indian Army Paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina on June 6, 2023

PHOTOGRAPH: ihcdhaka / Twitter

Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande visited Bangladesh on June 5-6, 2023 to expand bilateral defence and security ties. It was his second visit to Bangladesh after assuming the top post last year. General Pande was accompanied by a delegation of senior military officers and the visit was part of a series of high-level exchanges between India and Bangladesh.

Through a variety of initiatives, including joint training and drills and defence discussions, the two countries’ armed forces have been working together more and more.

Both India and Bangladesh have welcomed the initiatives for developing a closer effort to strengthen Maritime Security Partnerships. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) related to the establishment of a Coastal Surveillance Radar System in Bangladesh’s Chittagong and Mongla Ports has also been inked between India and Bangladesh. Two Indian naval ships, INS ‘Kulish’ and INS ‘Sumedha’, made a port call at Bangladesh’s Mongla Port in March 2023.

Before his recent visit to Bangladesh, General Pande and Bangladesh’s Army Chief General S.M. Shafiuddin Ahmed spoke via video chat to discuss measures for enhancing bilateral defence cooperation. The changing regional landscape due to the US war on Russia using Ukraine as the proxy plus the US-China estrangement and its effect on regional geopolitics and security would have also been discussed between the two Army Chiefs. During his recent visit, General Pande met the senior military leadership of Bangladesh to discuss avenues for further enhancing Indo-Bangladesh defence relations. His engagements included formal interactions with the Chief of Army Staff of the Bangladesh Army General S.M. Shafiuddin Ahmed and the Principal Staff Officer of the Armed Forces Division.

General Pande also reviewed the Passing Out Parade (POP) of officer cadets of the 84th ‘Long Course’ at the Bangladesh Military Academy (BMA) in Chattogram. During the parade, General Pande presented the ‘Bangladesh India Friendship Trophy’ instituted by India for the Best Foreign Cadet from friendly foreign countries of the passing out course from the BMA. This was the first presentation of the ‘Bangladesh India Friendship Trophy’ which was awarded to officer cadet Everton of Tanzania who passed out first in order of merit

The visit was seen as a sign of the strong and growing defence ties between India and Bangladesh. The two countries have been working together to address common security challenges, such as terrorism and cross-border smuggling. As an outcome of the visit, the two countries agreed to enhance cooperation in counter-terrorism, border security, and disaster management and also agreed to work together on joint military exercises and training.

The visit was a success and helped to further strengthen the already close defence ties between India and Bangladesh. It is expected that the two countries will continue to work together to address common security challenges in the region. A detailed report by Lt General P.C. Katoch

(Retd) on the COAS visit is the lead story of this issue.

While the future of Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) is unknown, there are a number of trends that are likely to shape their development in the coming years. One of the trends is the development of new technologies that will improve the survivability of MBTs. These technologies include active protection systems (APS), which can intercept incoming missiles and rockets, and new armour materials that are more resistant to penetration. The development of new weapons systems is also likely to have an impact on the future of MBTs. These weapons systems include long-range precision missiles, which could be used to target MBTs from outside their range of fire, and new types of anti-

tank mines. Major General Rajiv Narayanan (Retd) talks about why the development of India’s MBT needs to be a parallel approach, given the emergence of these disruptive technologies.

In addition to these technological trends, the future of MBTs will also be shaped by the changing nature of warfare. In recent years, there has been a trend towards asymmetric warfare, in which small, lightly armed groups use improvised weapons to attack large, powerful militaries. In his article, Major General Atanu Pattanaik emphasises that the tank must be built first and foremost to be suited to the type of war an army is prepared to fight.

The ongoing violence in the Northeast region of India, especially Manipur, is a complex issue with a long history. This violence

has had a devastating impact on the region’s economy and society. In another article in this issue, Major General Atanu Pattanaik (Retd) tries to identify the main causes of this strife in the region and in the state of Manipur. By understanding the root causes of the violence and taking steps to address them, the Indian government can bring peace and stability to the region.

All this and more in this issue of SP’s Land Forces!

among the foreign cadets. This trophy is in reciprocation to the ‘Bangladesh Trophy and Medal’ instituted at the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun in December 2021 for Best Foreign Cadet passing out course.

Ironically, the US has been pressuring Bangladesh including through sanctions

without even discussing with India (the major nation in South Asia) what should be the geopolitical equation in South Asia in order to check China’s expansionist designs.

The latest volley being fired by the US-led West at Bangladesh is to ensure free and fair elections despite the political mess within

JAYANT BARANWAL Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

the US. The cacophony of the US political elites of a ‘Rule Based Order’ is nothing but crap looking at the execution on ground which makes it ‘Rogue Based’.

America’s Joe Biden Administration knows full well that pressuring Bangladesh would imply pushing it towards China. The same has been the effect of US and Western sanctions on Myanmar. Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Nepal are already debt trapped by China. Under the circumstances, continued American pressure on Bangladesh means that the country should go the Myanmar way and India gets surrounded from all sides, leaving India no option but to seek formal alliance with the US to save itself and/ or face death and destruction like Ukraine fighting China as the US-NATO proxy.

Henry Kissinger once said, “it may be dangerous to be America’s enemy, but to be America’s friend is fatal.” But much before Kissinger, Harry Truman as a senator in 1940 said, “If we see that Germany is winning, we ought to help Russia and if Russia is winning, we ought to help Germany and that way let them kill as many as possible.” American policy is to use and throw nations but it is in India’s interest that the Sheikh Hasina government continues in power to ensure stability in South Asia.

Both India and Bangladesh are members of SAARC, BIMSTEC and IORA. Since the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh in 2015 and reciprocal visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India in 2017, the notable developments that have taken places include resolution of long-pending land and maritime boundaries asserting the issue of enclaves, conclusion of over ninety instruments comprising in the hi-tech areas like electronics, cyber-security, space, information technology, and civil nuclear energy plus increase in bilateral trade. December 6 is celebrated as Friendship Day by India and Bangladesh commemorating India’s recognition of Bangladesh and the continued friendship between the two countries. SP

Army Chief’s visit underscores the significance of IndiaBangladesh bilateral relations and defence cooperation, symbolising the “Neighbourhood First” policy

Efforts to establish selfsufficiency in defence manufacturing and strengthen maritime security partnerships further exemplify the strides made in defence cooperation between the two countries

(Top) Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande interacted with General S.M. Shafiuddin Ahmed, Chief of Army Staff, Bangladesh Army and discussed aspects of mutual interest; (Middle ) General Manoj Pande reviewed the Passing Out Parade at Bangladesh Military Academy as Chief Guest; (Above) General Manoj Pande at Bangladesh Military Academy that is grooming future leaders of Bangladesh Army.

AVNL — The Rolling Thunder

AVNL IS ONE OF the newest Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) in India. The company was incorporated as a wholly-owned Government of India Company under the Companies Act 2013 and began operations on October 1, 2021. With five production units and three institutes of learning, AVNL is well-equipped to meet the demands of India’s Armed Forces and Paramilitary Forces for armoured fighting tracked vehicles, military logistic vehicles, and mine-protected vehicles.

Order Book & Growth Plan

AVNL’s order book position as on April 1, 2023 shows an impressive total order value of `33,000 Cr. approx. The order book for FY 2023-24 alone is `10,130 Cr, indicating the company’s strong performance in securing new orders. In addition, the revenue from operations for the FY 2022-23 has been `4,912 Cr. In upcoming years, AVNL plans to achieve a value of `5,648 Cr in FY 2023-24, which will increase to `8,294 Cr in FY 2026-27.

R&D and Innovation

With dedicated R&D centres at all AVNL units, some of the major ongoing projects are:

l Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV)

l Wheeled Armoured Fighting Vehicle

l Light Tank

l Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV)

l Uprating of T-72 Tanks with 1000 HP engine

l Hybrid Tracked Armoured Vehicle

l Modernised Mine-Protected Vehicle (MMPV) 6X6

AVNL has successfully designed, developed, and made ready for induction into the Indian Armed Forces and paramilitary forces a modernised mine-protected vehicle (MMPV) 6X6. This development marks a significant achievement for AVNL in providing advanced, high-quality vehicles to the country’s security forces.

Excellence in Quality

AVNL has implemented several quality parameters to ensure the production of high-quality defence equipment and vehicles, including:

l Inspection for critical components/ assembly/sub-assembly is carried out at the firm’s premises by AVNL unit’s inspection team to assure the ingress of a quality product at the units.

l Quality Performance Index for AVNL Vendor is being implemented, strictly using the QPI to monitor the quality of the vendor.

l NQDBMS has been implemented, which assures traceability of each component, Input material Inspection, In-process & Final Acceptance Inspection, Defect Investigation, and Generation of online QAC & I-Note.

Championing Statutory Compliances

l AVNL is fully compliant with all the statutory requirement of Companies Act 2013 and other regulatory requirements like ITR Filings, Tax Audit etc.

l AVNL is the only new defence company to successfully conduct its maiden AGM within the stipulated time by preparation of Audited Financial Statements and completion of Supplementary Audit by CAG in time.

l AVNL is the first new defence company to file ITR in time and also receive IT refund of `5.74 Cr. Timely tax planning

was done in AVNL resulting in a savings of Tax outflow to the extent of `26 Cr. l AVNL champions transparency in its functioning. It has taken the initiative and disclosed required information in accordance with Section 4(1) (B) of Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005.

Innovation in HR Policy Formulation

Towards organisation restructuring, AVNL introduced the concept of Strategic Business Unit (SBU) in all production units envisaging that each SBU shall be an Independent Profit Centre in itself. Implementation of the SBU structure, coupled with delayering and optimisation of manpower would lead to increase in efficiency, effectiveness and operational excellence.

Since AVNL is new DPSU, there is no regular recruitment in the Company and hence there is a huge deficiency in the strength of executives at all levels. This has the potential of adversely affecting business performance. To meet this emergent requirement, AVNL has formulated the Policy for engagement of professionals on Full Time Fixed Term Contract basis. Through this policy, it has successfully hired consultants, domain experts for new job roles as per corporate working standards.

To set golden standards in corporate governance and be recognised as an employer of choice with principles such as inclusivity and divergence forming its foundation pillars, an Equal Opportunity Policy has been framed in compliance with the provisions of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 as an initiative in that direction.

For harnessing the potential of talented students/research scholars and use their expertise in various functional areas for the benefit of AVNL, an Internship Policy has been framed for engaging students pursuing UG/Graduate/ PG Degrees or Research Scholars enrolled in recognised University/ Institution within India or abroad.

Collaboration with Academia for Training and Consultancy

Industry academia collaboration is a catalyst for acceleration of breakthroughs through R&D and synthesises the strengths of both the partners for mutual benefit. AVNL has taken the initiative and signed MoU with leading educational and management institutions such as IIT Madras, IIM Bangalore, IIM Trichy and NIT Trichy for mutual collaboration in the areas of executive training, change management, organisation restructuring.

CSR Initiatives

AVNL is the first new DPSU to formulate the CSR policy and has undertaken various CSR projects such as construction of 400m Athletic Clay Track in aspirational district Asifabad, Telangana, construction of 03 additional school buildings in Avadi in collaboration with Avadi City Municipal Corporation, providing skill development training to 32 underprivileged youth in collaboration with CIPET, providing aids and appliances to Divyaangjans in collaboration with ALIMCO, contribution to AFFDF fund for welfare of family of army veterans, etc.

With these achievements, AVNL has demonstrated its commitment to delivering high-quality defence equipment and vehicles to the Indian Armed Forces and paramilitary forces. The company’s R&D efforts and growth plans for the future also ensure that it remains at the forefront of innovation in the defence industry. AVNL is the rolling thunder in the bastion of defence manufacturing. SP

(Top) Modernised Mine Protected Vehicle (MMPV);

(Above) Signing of MoU between AVNL & CIPET for CSR contribution for skill development of underprivileged youth.

MBTs – The Present & the Future

 MAJOR GENERAL ATANU K. PATTANAIK (RETD)

APICTURE IS WORTH A thousand words, so they say. As the Tank Man (nickname of an unidentified Chinese man) stood in front of a column of Type 59 tanks rumbling down the Tiananmen Square in Beijing on June 5, 1989, it demonstrated two things to the world. While on one hand it showed the indomitable courage of a lone man willing to face up to an authoritarian one-party communist regime, on the other, the column of frontline battle tanks displayed the majesty and power of the sovereign.

Introduction

Over a hundred years ago, on September 15, 1916, the battle of Flers-Courcelette witnessed the arrival of first British battle tanks crawling onto the entrenched Germans. The tank was invented to break the stalemate of trench warfare on World War I’s European battlefields. Later, the successes of the Panzer divisions during the first two years of World War II led the major armies to reorganise most of their tanks into similar formations; this resulted in a dramatic increase in production. Notwithstanding pathbreaking advancements in frontline stealth aircraft, drones and supersonic missiles, tanks continue to be the dominant system in land warfare ever since as the battlefields of Ukraine demonstrate.

Design Philosophies

Main battle tanks (MBT) form the backbone of the mechanised forces for any conventional army. Traditionally these platforms were designed keeping in mind the conventional warfare philosophy or the iron triangle of firepower, mobility and protection. Such an iron triangle underwent changes with the introduction of un-conventional warfare by non-state actors post 9/11. The rapid proliferation of shoulder fired anti-tank missiles, sophisticated and powerful IEDs and drones have meant that major design changes are being incorporated to take into account the new threats in hybrid warfare. It must be remembered that no tank in history has proven itself to be invulnerable, and nearly every positive design decision also results in a trade-off somewhere, whether this is an immediate design trade-off, or an economic or manufacturing trade-off.

Engineers in the East and West had competing design philosophies which were largely borne out from experiences in the WW II and the wars that followed. Both of these philosophies have led to the tank designs of today, and an analysis of their relative advantages provides clues about what to expect from the future.

The results of this difference in philosophy can be easily seen when, for example, comparing the T-72 and the Leopard 2, or the M1 Abrams series of tanks. The T-72s are significantly smaller, shorter, and lighter than their Western counterparts. This has some advantages, insofar as the T-72s are

significantly cheaper to produce and cost less to maintain, allowing the user to field a larger fleet of T-72s than they could with Western tanks for the same budget. In addition, they can be dug into protected positions more quickly, they don’t require an engine as powerful as those required by modern Western tanks, more of them can be transported per ship or other transport vehicle, and they can be more easily recovered by recovery vehicles.

However, precise comparisons are also difficult because over the past half-century there have been very few clashes between Western and Eastern tanks of the same generation, or between those upgraded to a similar standard. With all this in mind, it is still possible to evaluate some of the most significant modern tanks and speculate on the direction tank designs is heading in the future.

missiles, mines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and RPG fire. The smoke grenade launchers on either side of turret conceal the tank from enemy observation. This highly mobile tank has a maximum speed of 72km/h and cruising range of 450 km.

However, the still-greater significance of Leopard 2 may be political rather than its battlefield capabilities. Europe seek greater integration in the defence matters and coalesce future designs around Leopard for greater interoperability and to create larger economies of scale. Ukraine has been demanding and twelve countries have agreed to supply Ukraine with around 100 Leopard 2 tanks. In the June 2023 counteroffensive, the opening stage has seen the combat debut of Leopard 2 battle tanks, which were supplied to Kyiv after months of diplomatic wrangling with its NATO backers.

up area (FIBUA). It has been indicated that Ukraine will shortly receive 31 Abrams tanks from the US.

K2 Black Panther, South Korea: It is generally considered a fourth-generation tank – the only fourth-generation tank currently in service, anywhere. The K2 is armed with a CN08 120mm 55 calibre smoothbore gun, with an autoloader that allows for firing of up to 10 rounds per minute. It can fire on the move, and it is even capable of engaging low-flying aircraft.

The Black Panther could be deadly if it ever sees combat. It boasts a lethal smart munition called the KSTAM-II that can automatically detect an enemy tank’s weakest area. This is fired in stand-off ranges of 5 miles like an artillery shell, then it pops a parachute and floats downward while computing its target — usually the top of its turret on an enemy tank.

Merkava Mk. 4, Israel:

The Merkava Mk. 4 is the latest version of the Merkava range of MBTs that entered service with the Israel Defence Forces in 2004 and is regarded as one of the best-protected tanks in the world. The Mk. 4 is armed with a 120mm MG253 smoothbore gun capable of firing high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) and sabot rounds, as well as LAHAT anti-tank guided missiles. The 7.62mm coaxial and 12.7mm swivelmounted machine guns and 60mm grenade launcher complement the fire power of the tank. It is fitted with special spaced armour, sprung armour side skirts, an Elbit laser warning system and IMI in-built smoke-screen grenades. The Trophy active protection system aboard the tank protects the crew against advanced anti-tank missiles. The tank moves at a maximum speed of 64 km/h.

Five Great Tanks of Today

Leopard 2A7+, Germany: The Leopard 2A7+ is a next-generation main battle tank (MBT) that leverages the technology of the Leopard 2 MBT and has been adopted to conduct warfare in urban areas, as well as traditional military missions. The Leopard 2A7+ is armed with 120mm L55 smoothbore gun capable of firing standard NATO ammunition and new programmable 120mm HErounds. Attached passive armour modules offer all-round protection from anti-tank

Abrams M1A2, United States of America: The Abrams M1A2 is a combat proven MBT of the US Army. The main gun of the tank is a manually loaded 120mm XM256 smoothbore cannon, which can fire a range of NATO ammunition against armoured vehicles, infantry and low-flying aircraft. The tank is also armed with two 7.62mm M240 machine guns and a .50 cal M2 machine gun. The Abrams M1A2 integrates heavy exterior composite armour and steel-encased depleted uranium armour at the forward hull and turret to offer a high level of protection to its crew. The tank has a cruising range of 426 km and can travel at a maximum speed of 67.5km/h.

The Abrams performed gallantly in the first Gulf War. During Operation Desert Storm 1,848 tanks were deployed to Iraq and only 23 exited the fight. Keeping the experiences gained in Iraq in mind, the M1A2C (SEP v.3 upgrade) also included the Israeli-developed Trophy HV hard-kill active protection systems that use radar to detect incoming missiles and rockets then fires tiny projectiles to intercept them. The success in close urban fights in Iraq, where Abrams tanks survived hits with grenades, RPGs, RPKs, various other small arms, and a range of mortars including 120mm types, makes it a lethal MBT for fight in built

The latest versions of the Merkava Mk. 4 are called “Barak” and “Windbreaker” and they are designed for the insurgent fight if one flares up. Israelis have improved the Merkava Mk. 4 tanks after fighting terrorists during Operation Protective Edge in 2014. They learned lessons about Hamas tactics, particularly the way the terrorists jumped out of tunnels and fired anti-tank missiles at the Merkava Mk. 4. Israel did not lose a single tank during the seven-week Gaza War.

T-90MS, Russia: The T-90MS, a modernised version of the T-90 MBT extensively modernised to deliver enhance combat performance in present warfare scenarios. The 125mm 2A46M-5 gun of the tank fires different types of ammunition with high accuracy. The tank is also armed with a 6P7K 7.62mm anti-aircraft machine gun on a remotely controlled weapon station.

The modular ERA panels mounted on rear and side of the tank offer protection against small weapons and shell splinters. The forward hull and turret can be fitted with RELIKT reactive armour for protection against anti-tank missiles. The T-90MS also features an optoelectronic screening system and electromagnetic protection system. A V-92S2F engine with a rated power of Continued on page 7...

The tank must be built first and foremost to be suited to the type of war an army is prepared to fight

(Clockwise from Top Left) German Leopard 2A7+; American M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams; Trophy HV on Merkava 4 of Israel; T-14 Armata from Russia

PHOTOGRAPHS: kmweg.com, General Dynamics, Rafael, Wikipedia / Vitaly V. Kuzmin

Traditional tank designs emphasised the iron triangle of firepower, mobility, and protection. However, the rise of unconventional warfare has led to changes in tank design to address new threats like anti-tank missiles and drones

India’s Exposed Eastern Flank

The deep-rooted turmoil due to drugs, land rights, and historical divisions has unleashed chaos in Manipur

 MAJOR GENERAL ATANU K. PATTANAIK (RETD)

ANIPUR IS ON THE boil. As the long simmering MeiteiKuki - Naga ethnic discontent ignited on May 3, 2023 in Churachandpur, the country’s attention was once again diverted to the Northeast. Over the past two months, more than 60 people, including women, have been killed and hundreds injured while some 1,700 houses have been burned down. About 35,000 people were shifted to camps set up by the Assam Rifles and the Army during the violence. Truce brokered by the state government as well the centre have unfortunately been found to be fragile. Sporadic violence, shootings and torching of public and private property including those belonging to ministers often interrupt the uneasy calm. Political parties have jumped in to further muddy the waters and frenzied blame-game is order of the day.

But flareups in the Northeast are nothing new. Dating back to the colonial times, the politics of identity and self-determination have led to internal and external security challenges there. In late fifties, the Nagas led a well-oiled insurgency to gain independence under the umbrella of NSCN, undeniably sponsored by the old colonial powers through camps and operatives in

Myanmar and in the then East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), ably aided by the Pakistan ISI. Then followed insurgencies by the Mizos, the Bodos and the ULFA as well as numerous breakaway groups that used the porous Myanmar borders and their ungoverned provinces combating separatist insurgencies of their own. China has exploited the situation to the hilt by giving sanctuary to fugitives (ULFA chief Paresh Barua is in Yunnan) and facilitating arms supply, some

of which ultimately land up with Maoist insurgents in the hinterland.

But without drowning out the current Manipur turmoil in a plethora of historical fault lines and obfuscate what triggered the crisis, let me focus on two immediate sparks that lit up the fire - drugs and land rights.

Drug Menace in the State

Manipur has had a drug problem for decades, thanks to an ancient trade route that

connects it to Southeast Asia and therefore to the infamous Golden Triangle. In geographical terms, this is a tri-junction where the Mekong River, at a confluence point, splits the landmasses of three nations—Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. As China gained independence, internal power struggle began between Mao Zedong’s communist Red Army and Chiang Kai-shek’s Kuomintang (KMT). The KMT soon retreated and two divisions of their army ended up taking refuge in Myanmar’s northern Shan State in 1950.

As the KMT troops in Myanmar assisted by the US waited for an opportunity to regain China, they turned to streamlining poppy cultivation and refining practices already prevalent. Myanmar ultimately complained to the UN, and growing realisation that China could not be retaken led the US to pressure Taiwan to evacuate the KMT from Myanmar. The infrastructures for drugs they left behind were taken over by local warlords. Thus, was born the notorious Golden Triangle.

Manipur became a natural and major transit route for the Golden Triangle drugs. In a state of just about 3 million people, over 30,000 are confirmed drug addicts and most are afflicted with the related HIV/ AIDS too. In the last few years, Manipur became a source and not just a route of

India’s Future Tank: Need for a Parallel Approach

MAJOR GENERAL RAJIV NARAYANAN (RETD)

THE OBITUARY OF THE main battle tanks has been written many a times before, ever since the ATGMs (Anti-Tank Guided Weapon) were fielded on the battlefield. The battle that gained prominence was the ambush of Israeli armour at El Firdan during the 1973 Yom Kippur War on October 8, 1973. Tanks have not only survived but have continued to be the prime offensive and defensive arm of militaries across the world. The tactics and groupings were suitably adjusted to counter the evolving battlefield threats posed by the ‘Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA)’.

However, the evolving emerging and disruptive technologies present a new set of challenges in the battlefields of the future, glimpses of which were visible in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict of September – November 2020 wherein the integrated use of drones, UAVs/UCAVs, artillery, and air fire by Azerbaijan succeeded in inflicting disproportionate casualties on Armenian tanks, armoured vehicles, artillery and air defence guns and other ground forces. The further evolution is being witnessed in the ongoing Ukrainian Conflict, wherein the ‘swarm tactics’, in use of drones, is being fine-tuned. Again, voices have arisen about the end of the tank in the battlefield, but this too shall pass.

Considering the increased need for protection for all arms, services, and systems in the future battlefield not only from increased firepower but the evolving multi-domain threat, which is provided by the armoured fighting vehicles and are hence here to stay. However, what would be their shape, size, structure, and what suite of systems, subsystems would it possess, to counter such emerging threats, is open to debate at present.

It is in this scenario that news came of a fresh RFI (Request For Information) for India’s FRCV (Future Ready Combat Vehicle), the MBT for the future, which could be the platform for other family of vehicles, including the Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV). This is the 4th such call, starting with 2015, 2017, 2021 and now 2023. Is this the right way in the face of Disruption in Military Affairs (DMA), as the emerging and disruptive technologies would disrupt the way warfare is conducted?

This article aims to look at the evolving nature of warfare and try to present a differing perspective on India’s future family of Armoured Fighting Vehicles.

Evolving Nature of Warfare

The evolving and emerging technologies portend a disruption in the way warfares of the future would be fought. Currently the 5th generation of warfare is emerging, glimpses of which have been seen in Yemen, Syria, Nagorno-Karabakh and Ukraine conflicts. Concurrently, various countries, like US, West, Russia, and China, are working towards technologies that would evolve to the 6th and 7th generation warfare. These are still nebulous but would emerge in some form in the coming decades.

Even as these technologies progress, there is an amorphous concept being worked upon that has been termed as the

8th generation warfare, some subsystems of which could get fielded in the coming decades. It conceptualises the use of advanced Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs) and other such weapons to immobilise the enemy cognitively for a specified duration of time over a specified area, thereby disarming and overcoming them without a fight. Cognitive domain warfare is already being seen, by way of information warfare through various narratives, subversion, et al. This is an extreme extension of such warfare, attempting neural control via advanced DEWS rather than reflexive control, as hither-to-fore.

These would disrupt the way warfare is likely to be conducted in future and is thus being termed as ‘Disruption in Military Affairs (DMA)’. It is difficult to visualise the systems and subsystems needed to counter such threats in an evolving battlefield.

The Future Main Battle Tanks of Others: A Parallel Approach

With the status of the future still rather blurred, the moot point is whether it is prudent to invest in an entirely new family of armoured vehicles? It would take minimum a decade to design and develop such a project and another decade or so to field it. What if by then the evolving threat has changed the battlefield milieu? Would you keep shifting or keep re-evaluating the General Staff Qualitative Requirements (GSQRs)? Where will the line be drawn? The repeated calls for India’s FRCV, and the change in parameters is a case in point. A look at the other tank producing nations shows a very different and pragmatic approach.

The US M1 Abrams, M1A2 is planned to be in service atleast till 2050 with necessary upgrades to face future threats in the evolving battlefield milieu, with improvements in its firepower, protection (active and reactive), and mobility, to face the emerging threats. This is even as the US Army is evaluating a replacement for the M1 Abrams and other armoured fighting vehicles as part of the Next Generation Combat Vehicle (NGCV) programme, notionally known as the Decisive Lethality Platform (DLP). Currently, only the XM30 Mechanised Infantry Combat Vehicle, formerly known as the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV), part of this programme has seen some progress, the design for which has been made digitally by the contenders. It may be remembered that the

M1 Abrams series was first fielded way back in 1980 and has seen a series of upgrades to counter the evolving threats.

Similarly, the Leopard series entered service in the German (then West German) Army in 1965, with its anticipated life is till 2030s. As its replacement is still on paper, titled Main Ground Combat System (MGCS), it will be preceded by incremental upgrades to the Leopard 2, including a new digital turret core system and situational awareness system and an active protection system (APS). The MGCS is a project launched in 2017 by Germany and France, aiming to replace their current Leopard 2 and Leclerc main battle tanks. The plan is for the initial fielding expected in 2035, with full operational capability (FOC) by 2040. As it stands there is considerable slippage in this project, but the upgrades to Leopard 2 (and Leclerc) have not been stopped.

Similar is the case with Israel that has recently fielded its Merkava Mk. 4 (Barak, some call it Merkava V) in June 2023, a further upgrade to the series launched in 1979, to cater for the emerging threats in the battlefield. The tank’s new elements include an active armour protection system, artificial intelligence, updated sensors, and VR capabilities. A main feature of the Barak, unveiled in July 2018, is the integration of the Iron Vision helmet-mounted augmented reality system, using high-resolution cameras arrayed around the tank to provide a 360° virtual reality view of a tank’s surroundings to crew members’ helmet displays while protected inside.

In a major step forward for Israel’s future ground warfare concept, the IDF has selected Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to develop its next-generation fighting vehicle. IAI beat out competitors for developing the concept and technologies for the future Armoured Fighting Vehicle for the IDF, known as the Carmel with a focus on urban warfare.

The competition was part of an acrossthe-table effort to shape the future ground concept used by the IDF. The goal is perhaps summed up best this way: to give Israeli’s military fast-moving ground forces equipped with multi-sensor, multi-weapon systems able to achieve control of the battle ground quickly and decisively. IAI successfully demonstrated a two-man, closed hatch armoured fighting vehicle equipped with autonomous systems that handle the central subsystems — mission planning and operations. Eventually, the IDF plans to build a hybrid vehicle, equipped with both diesel and electric motors. Electric propulsion will allow for quieter short-distance travel, but is also essential as a new source of power for a new weapon that may be integrated into the project: a high-intensity laser. While the Future Manned Combat Vehicle (FMCV) will be a fifth-generation vehicle as a follow-on to the Merkava Mk. 4, it will not be a replacement for the tank. The Merkava will remain in service for decades, while FMCV vehicles are to address entirely different operational requirements.

Lessons for India’s FRCV Programme

What is apparent from the above that most countries that make armoured



While some nations are adopting a parallel approach by developing future MBTs and upgrading existing fleets, India’s focus remains primarily on developing an entirely new family of armoured vehicles

The emergence of disruptive technologies and the concept of “Disruption in Military Affairs (DMA)” pose new challenges for future warfare, necessitating a re-evaluation of armoured fighting vehicle strategies

PHOTOGRAPHS: Israeli MoD, PIB

ARMOURED / INTERNAL SECURITY

MBTs

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The Present... Continued from page 4

1,130hp provides a maximum speed of 60 km/h to the tank.

Future Developments

The Israelis have shown in concepts a vision for what might be a viable alternative to existing MBT design with the Carmel. Of course, it represents a heavy IFV more than it does a tank. The vehicle uses a twocrew layout, with the crew in a protected citadel like in the Russian T-14 Armata. It has a remote turret which is armed with a medium-calibre automatic cannon, and on top of the turret there are two remote weapon stations which have a machinegun and two ATGMs each. The vehicle relies on an active protection system such as Trophy for defeating RPGs and ATGMs. The vehicle also has a very high level of automation, with automatic vehicle terrain navigation, automatic target recognition and independent target search functionality for all weapons. This means that in combat situations, the vehicle is capable of locating targets independently and the crew would simply need to prioritise or

select the targets they want to engage and the vehicle conducts the engagement automatically. This level of automation also allows the crew to be removed from the vehicle altogether and for it to be used as an entirely unmanned platform.

Tanks are locked in an existential arms race with anti-tank weapons, which means the future might mean taking a few steps back. Tanks will likely become lighter, reversing the trend of heavier tanks, making up for the difference in armour protection by incorporating active protection systems that shoot down enemy rockets and missiles. The presence of battlefield sensors in tanks, aircraft, drones and even satellites will probably mean tanks will gain optical camouflage and anti-radar stealth.

But the future is hard to predict. In 2011, the Netherlands got rid of all of its tanks, believing that the age of tank vs tank warfare had ended. Then as Russian tanks rolled into the Ukraine in February 2014, and the Dutch scrambled to get their tanks back in service.

India’s Exposed... Continued from page 5

this international drug trafficking network. The extended nationwide Covid lockdowns starting March 2020, and Myanmar plunging back into chaos and lawlessness since the February 2021 military coup helped spread this new poppy cultivation culture. It has also led to extensive and severe deforestation of hillsides. The government’s resolute “War on Drugs” which involved burning poppy cultivations and eviction of illegal occupation of reserve forests by mostly Kuki-Chin illegal migrants provided the first spark. It is a direct challenge to the narcoterrorism gang lords and their international (mostly Chinese) handlers. Needless to say, numerous local politicians have deep connections to these operatives and their drug money. Hence the extreme violent fightback and vilification of the Manipur government’s war on drugs as something directed against one community only.

Rights to Land Ownership

Secondly, Manipur has a peculiar geographical hill-valley divide, first sowed by the British and further entrenched by ruinous land

laws adopted post-independence. Though there are about 32 tribes in the state, the Meitei’s who are largely Vaishnavas and make up about 53 per cent of the population are restricted to just 10 per cent of the landmass in the Imphal valley. This is due to some calamitous steps adopted in early fifties that not only deprived them of scheduled tribe status but also forbade them from buying land in the hills that comprise 90 per cent of the area. The hills are occupied by Kukis (28 per cent) in the inner ring and Nagas in the outer ring. Mostly Christian, they have ST status and are free to buy land in the valley.

The anger amongst the Meitei have been simmering for long, demanding ST status as not only their expanding population were restricted to the valley but also because they were also losing even that land gradually as Kukis began to buy up land there. It is suspected that the church may be involved in funding this land grab. On April 10, 2023, the Manipur High Court directed the State government to consider the request and send a recommendation to the Union government for its consideration, upping the ante.

India’s Future Tank... Continued from page 6

fighting vehicles are taking a two-pronged approach. Even as they struggle to evolve a future family of fighting vehicles, upgrades to their existing fleet are progressing concurrently. Only Russia appears to have fielded a new MBT for the future MBT -the T14 Armata. What needs to be considered is that work on it had commenced in the in 1988 as the T-95/Object 195. When that was shelved due to lack of funds in early 2000s the project shifted to Object 148 based on the same platform and evolved into T-14 Armata of today. Its layout enables it to be continuously upgraded with the systems to counter evolving threats.

Whither India: The Need for a Parallel Approach India has a mix of three tanks, T-72, T-90, and Arjun, but does not have the concept of upgrading the existing systems or subsystems. The only upgrade of value the T-72 received is the Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) panels. Despite it having over 60 per cent commonality with the T-90, no attempt has been made to incorporate many of the advanced systems and subsystems from T-90 into it. Further, through the design and development of the Arjun MBT, there are other advanced systems that have been developed

in-house, but no attempt has been made at cross pollination –incorporating them to upgrade these tanks to a higher level.

Yet, India is looking at a whole new platform for future threats, which keeps evolving as the critical technologies mature. This results in reworking of its GSQR periodically, thereby pushing back the fielding of the new armoured platform. With no concept of a parallel approach of necessary upgrades to it existing fleet, it would put these platforms at risk in future wars.

Even as the work on FRCV is progresses, it is time to involve the Academia and Private players to upgrade the existing MBTs and other Armoured Fighting Vehicles with modern suites to provide for increase firepower, multi-domain protection, and mobility. These suites/their improved versions can then be fielded in the future armoured platforms whenever fielded. This needs to be the way ahead and not a singlepoint attempt to only get a new platform of vehicles for the future battlefields. The current fleet, with such periodic upgrades can be fielded in future battlefields atleast till circa 2040-45, or beyond. The FRCV and its family of vehicles can be gradually inducted into service as and when they are fielded and could work with the current

India in the Game

The Indian Army is one of the biggest users of Russian armour including the T-90, T-72 and BMP-series infantry combat vehicles. Hence the Indian Army is keenly observing the developments in Ukraine in order to improve battle tank design for the future. In line with government policy of Atmanirbhar Bharat, it is expected that MBT Arjun will eventually become the mainstay of Indian Army. If we compare specifications of Arjun and T-90, then we can see that Arjun is far heavier than T-90. But, at the same time, Arjun has a 1400 hp engine as compared to 950 hp engine of T-90, which explains why the top speed of Arjun is 72 km/h, whereas that of T-90 is 60 km/h. Comparative trials on the manoeuvrability of the Arjun MBT and the Russian T-90 tank in Rajasthan deserts have resulted in a better performance from the Arjun tank. With infusion of a German V-90 engine, improved metallurgy, and with an electrooptical (EO) fire-control system, the MK1A MBT Arjun may soon emerge as one of the best frontline MBTs in the world. SP

Historical Efforts to Divide

The British had long cherished a dream to slice the Northeast from rest of India and carve out a Christian country in the region. During colonial times, it enforced an inner line permit to apparently protect the tribes in the hills but pushed evangelists to convert the nature worshiper tribes to Christianity. Many billboards in Nagaland openly splash “Nagaland for Christ” and outfits have been demanding a ‘Greater Nagaland’ (Nagalim) that includes large parts of Manipur. The possibility of this mission getting a renewed thrust cannot be ruled out in the run up to 2024 elections in concert with the other separatist plots for Khalistan and Ghazwa-e-Hind.

The violence, arson and looting as well as deaths in Manipur are an unfortunate upshot of tragic historical fissures which are now deftly being exploited by the drug mafia and anti-national syndicates. Relentless action on narcoterrorism must continue alongside steps to remove obscure and discriminatory land laws. Manipur needs a calming hand. But it may have to wait as the fractures are deep and complex. SP

fleet till their extended lives, since they would also be upgraded to face these evolving threats.

Conclusion

The suites needed to counter multi-domain threats of the enemy, and project multidomain threats to potential challengers would be very expensive – these emerging and disruptive technologies do not come cheap. Thus, the need for such a parallel approach, wherein even as the work is on for some future platform to cater for the DMA, as the systems and subsystems evolve, upgrades to the existing platforms should continue in the interim.

Such a joint parallel approach, which includes Academia and Private players would spread the costs and generate economy of scales. SP

Major General Rajiv Narayanan retired after over 37 years of distinguished service in February 2016, as the ADGMO, in Army HQ. He currently a Professor of Practise with IIT Madras, Senior Fellow with the Peninsula Foundation, a Member of the Chennai Centre for China Studies, and a Member of the Indus International Research Foundation.

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