Equipment of the Indian Army

This is a list of some of the modern & historical equipment used by Indian Army. Most of the army equipment is of foreign design and license produced in India but efforts are on to progressively design and manufacture equipment indigenously. The 41 Indian Ordnance Factories under control of Ordnance Factories Board manufacture most of Army equipment like small arms, ammunition, combat vehicles, artillery, etc.

Vehicles

 * Kroton – Possible sale of 80 mine laying vehicles from Poland.
 * Light Tank – 300 tanks (200 tracked 100 wheeled) to be deployed on China border.
 * AHS Krab – Possible sale of 110 from Poland. Part of the deal that would also see the purchase of the Kroton and Loara.
 * PZA Loara Possible sale of 100 from Poland. Part of the deal that would also see the purchase of the Kroton and 2S1 Gvozdika.
 * BMP-2 based AKASH SAM carrier production started at Ordnance Factory Medak.
 * BMP-2 based 105mm Light tank to be manufactured at Ordnance Factory Medak.
 * BMP-2 based NBC protected recon vehicle to be manufactured at Ordnance Factory Medak.
 * TATA Light Specialist Vehicle – LSV with LMG, MMG to be purchased

Artillery and missile systems

 * Anti-tank missile FGM-148 Javelin and Spike (missile) are being evaluated currently by Indian army.
 * Under the Field Artillery Rationalization Plan, Indian Army plans to procure 3000 to 4000 155 mm towed, wheeled and tracked artillery systems. The requirement for artillery guns to be met with indigenous development and production. Production of crucial bi-modular charge system will be started soon at Nalanda ordnance factory. HEMRL, a DRDO lab has developed the technology indigenously.
 * State-run Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) will deliver two types of indigenously developed 155mm howitzers to the Indian Army based on the FH77B howitzer purchased way back in 1986. One version will be 155/39 calibre while the other will be 155/45 calibre. Trials are to be completed by June 2013
 * Government is also evaluating 155mm/52 self-propelled howitzers wherein three Indian vendors, including two private sector companies, have been selected for trials of their equipment. This information was given by Defence Minister Shri AK Antony in a written reply to Shri Ramesh Bais and others in Lok Sabha on 6-May-2013.
 * Shaurya
 * Prahaar- the solid-fueled missile is slated to replace the liquid fueled Prithvi-1. Liquid-fueled missiles have lengthy preparation times giving adequate warning to the enemy, while solid-fueled ones can be ready in minutes.
 * Agni-IV
 * Agni-V – Intercontinental version of the Agni missile system. The missile was test fired for the first time on 19 April 2012 and is expected to be inducted by 2014–15.

Infantry equipment

 * Futuristic Infantry Soldier As a System (F-INSAS) is the Indian Army's principal modernisation program from 2012 to 2020. In the first phase, to be completed by 2012,the infantry soldiers will be equipped with modular weapon systems that will have multi-functions. The Indian Army intends to modernise its entire 465 infantry and paramilitary battalions by 2020 with this program.
 * A deal worth $5.75 million was signed with M/S B&T Switzerland for the acquisition of 1,568 advanced sub-machine guns for the Ghatak platoons of the army's infantry battalions.
 * Modern Sub Machine Carbine - to replace the Indian Sterling submachine gun.
 * Indian Army has requirement for 300,000 modular body armour and ballistic helmets primarily for their Infantry regiments. RFI's have been issued.
 * 1000 Anti materiel rifles are to acquired for which global RFI's have been issued by the MOD.
 * Army has issued RFI's for multi-caliber assault rifles probably to be used as the weapon system in the F-INSAS program.
 * Indian army is looking for a heavy machine gun, RFIs for a new HMG have been sent to agencies that include Rosoboronexport for the Degtyarev Kord 12.7mm HMG, General Dynamics for the still in-development M806 HMG and also the Browning M2E50.

Aviation

 * Light Utility Helicopter: The Indian army has projected a requirement for up to 197 light helicopters to replace its ageing fleet of Chetaks and Cheetahs. The Indian Army chose the Eurocopter AS 550 under a US$550 million contract in summer of 2007. Under this contract 60 helicopters were to be supplied from Eurocopter in fly-away condition and the rest were to be assembled by HAL in India. This order was later scrapped due to allegations of unfair field trials from competing company Bell Helicopters.


 * Light Combat Helicopter: The HAL Light Combat Helicopter is a derivative of the HAL Dhruv, which was inducted into the Indian armed forces. Using a successful and proven helicopter as the base platform is expected to conserve the project costs for the LCH, which is pegged at inr 3760000000. The Dhruv's weaponised version, HAL Rudra is also being inducted in the Indian Army. The LCH was expected to be ready for the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) by December 2010 with the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) in 2011. However, the revised timeframes hold that the 5.5-tonne LCH should be ready for induction into IAF by 2012–2013. The first prototype of LCH completed its first ground run on 4 February 2010. HAL has a firm order to deliver 65 LCH to the IAF and 114 to the Army.


 * Light multi-role helicopter: Five global helicopter majors are in the fray to sell India 197 multi-role, light helicopters, in a deal worth inr 30000000000. Eurocopter AS550 Fennec; Kamov Ka-226, Agusta A109 Power or A119 Koala and McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems (MD 520N) have been given time till 19 December 2008 to submit proposals. Weighing less than three tonnes when armed, these multi-role, light turbine helicopters will replace the 1970s vintage Chetak and Cheetah helicopters operated by the Army Aviation Corps and the Air Force. They will undertake tasks such as reconnaissance and observation, casualty evacuation, electronic warfare, escort duties, anti-insurgency operations and ferrying personnel to and from the battlefield. Of the 197 helicopters, which are to be bought in a fly away condition and via knock down kits, 133 are for the Army, while 64 will be delivered to the Air Force. The helicopter deal is part of a mega modernisation programme which will see the Army eventually receiving 197 helicopters and the Indian Air Force getting 188. The deal also includes an offset clause, under which the successful vendor must source defence-related goods and services to the value of 50 per cent of the deal from Indian companies. The process – including discussions on offset proposals, technical evaluation, short-listing by the Defence Ministry, hot weather and winter trails – is expected to be completed by the middle of 2010.