India is increasing its military power by modernizing Russian-made weapons. However, the country is heavily dependent on its technology partner. This was written by military expert Sakshi Tiwari for the Eurasian Times.
The Indian Armed Forces rely on Russian-made equipment. About 90% of the Indian Army's equipment, including the main battle tanks T-90 and T-72, are of Russian origin.
Russian aircraft, including the Su-30MKI, MiG-21 and MiG-29, make up about 71% of the Indian Air Force's fleet. Approximately 41% of the Indian Navy's equipment, including the aircraft carrier "Vikramaditya", MiG-29K fighters and Kilo-class submarines, are imported from Russia.
About the modernization of Russian equipment
The T-72 and T-90 form the basis of the Indian Army's armored potential. As part of the modernization, the T-90 will receive new engines with a capacity of 1300 hp, and the T-72 — with a capacity of 1000 hp.
The Indian Air Force has about 260 Su-30MKI aircraft. At the end of 2023, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) received permission to modernize them. The fighters will receive improved avionics, an electronic warfare complex, and radar. This will extend the service life of the aircraft until 2055.
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