India’s T-90 Tanks: The Defence Research and Development Organisation is working on a new active protection system for the Indian Army’s T-90 tanks. The job is being led by CVRDE, which is working on ways to stop explosive-based anti-armour threats. HEMRL is also part of the effort. It is building blast-based hard-kill countermeasures and propulsion systems that can deal with many kinds of anti-tank projectiles. DRDO is looking for industry partners for this work, according to the document.
This project is meant to give India’s tanks a stronger shield in battle. Tanks today face danger from anti-tank guided missiles, armed drones, and loitering munitions. The new system is being planned to help the Army keep its armoured fleet safer in those kinds of fights.
GDELS to Showcase Pandur GBAD and Counter-UAS Systems at Eurosatory 2026
How the New System is meant to work
One of the biggest parts of the plan is speed. The system is said to be able to catch threats flying at more than 1,500 metres per second. That is a very fast target, and it could make the system useful against missiles and even some high-speed kinetic-energy rounds. The system is also meant to guard tanks from top-attack weapons, which are made to hit the thinner armour on the roof of a tank.
The document says the T-90 protection system will use both hard-kill and soft-kill ideas together. Hard-kill systems destroy or stop the incoming threat before it hits. Soft-kill systems try to confuse the weapon with smoke, infrared jammers, or other countermeasures. DRDO wants both kinds of defence in one setup so the tank can get layered protection.
The report also points to other countries that already use or test similar systems. It mentions Russia’s Arena and newer Afganit system, Israel’s Trophy, and U.S. systems like Quick Kill and Iron Curtain.
India Enters Elite Missile Defence Club After Successful DRDO Ballistic Missile Shield Tests
Importance for India
The Army’s T-90 fleet is still seen as a main part of India’s mechanised forces. The DRDO document says these tanks are likely to stay in service beyond 2050. It also says there is a need to keep upgrading them so they stay useful in future wars. That is why the Army wants stronger soft-kill and hard-kill protection on top of the tank’s normal armour.
The same DRDO paper says the project is being handled as an Indian development programme. It asks for responses from eligible Indian vendors for prototype work and later procurement. The plan covers two prototypes in the development stage and a total of 818 systems in the procurement stage.
If the work goes well, the new APS could give the T-90 tanks much better safety on the battlefield. It could also help India depend less on foreign protection systems and build more of its own defence tech at home.
