T-72 Tank
The Indian Army is currently facing a critical shortage of ammunition for the Indian Army’s fleet of T-90 and T-72 tanks after the blacklisting of the supplier of the Fin Stabilized Armour Piercing Discarding Sabot (FSAPDS). The Ministry of Defence is now looking to procure these shells from Russia.
There had been a severe shortage of tank ammunition with only three to four days’ supply of this particular ammunition in the inventory of the armoured regiments.
This was first highlighted in March this year by the then Army Chief General V.K Singh in a top secret letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The letter mysteriously found its way to the media.
A contract negotiation team under a Joint Secretary-level official has also gone to Moscow recently to discuss the price of FSAPDS ammunition but further parleys would have to be held to decide on the cost issue. To avoid such shortages in future, the Defence Ministry is also seeking a Transfer of Technology agreement from the Original Equipment Manufacturers to produce the ammunition indigenously.
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