In an interview with India Today, Russian President Vladimir Putin praised the T-90 tank family, describing it as "among the best in the world" and confirming that India produces these tanks locally under a Russian license.
Putin's remarks come at a time of increasing questions about the performance of Russian armored forces in Ukraine and the significant losses they have sustained.
Key Points
Putin's statements focused on the defense partnership with India and the T-90's global standing.
Putin: "India produces our famous T-90 tanks... and they are considered among the best in the world."
He described India as a reliable defense partner and stressed that Russia not only sells but also shares technology.
He pointed to the long-standing defense relations between Moscow and New Delhi.
He highlighted India's production of the T-90S model via the Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) in Avadi.
- Combat Losses in Ukraine
Despite the praise for the tank, independent reports reveal significant battlefield losses.
According to the open-source intelligence group Oryx, Russia has lost at least 203 visually confirmed T-90 tanks.
Losses include 11 standard T-90S tanks and 146 of the newer T-90M "Proryv" tanks.
The figures are conservative and reflect only cases confirmed by visual evidence.
Field reports indicate that the T-90 is vulnerable to Javelin missiles, FPV drones, and the guns of American Bradley fighting vehicles.
T-90M and T-90S
Specifications
The latest versions of the tank feature technical upgrades, but their effectiveness is a subject of debate.
T-90M: Advanced armor and electronics, improved fire control systems, manufactured by UralVagonZavod.
It is considered a cornerstone for modernizing Russian armored forces.
Indian T-90S: Local production under license, using Russian kits and local components.
India is the largest foreign operator of the platform, with over 1,100 tanks in service and hundreds more on order.
Comparison of Russian T-90M and Indian T-90S
| Element | T-90M (Russia) | T-90S (India) |
| Manufacturer | UralVagonZavod | HVF Avadi |
| Armor | Advanced with additional protection | Standard with local enhancements |
| Electronics | Modern control systems | Russian + local components |
| Usage | Russian Army | Indian Army (over 1,100 tanks) |
According to a Janes report, the T-90M is considered a significant step in the modernization of Russian forces, but its effectiveness in Ukraine has been severely tested against modern Western weaponry.
Conclusion
Putin's remarks, praising the T-90 tanks and highlighting Indian production, reflect Moscow's desire to bolster its global defense image, despite confirmed losses in Ukraine.
While Russia continues to promote the tank's capabilities, field experience shows that its effectiveness faces significant challenges against advanced anti-tank systems, making its future on the battlefields a subject of widespread debate.
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