India Today associate editor Sandeep Unnithan has written a piece on MBT Arjun in the current issue of the magazine. An excerpt:
Senior Defence Ministry officials have indicated an order for a second batch of modified 124 Arjun tanks as a face-saver for the DRDO and that would be the end of the programme. “After that we want the DRDO to focus on building the FMBT.”
To read the full article, click here.
another copy job of yet another writer.
some defence writer you are !
we would read sandeep unnithan anyway, don’t bother putting it up on your blog.
Does the DRDO have the permission from the central Govt. to find other buyers for the Arjun? Sure, the Indian army does not want it, but they could be exported to friendly countries across the globe (especially in Africa and South America) like we will be exporting the Brahmos and the Dhruv.
Since the Arjun compares favorably with the best in the world in terms of capabilities and price, hard-selling the Arjun somewhere to recover the costs would be the thing to do!
A completely wild thought – What if Pak/Bangladesh/Afghanistan purchases the tank from us? Actually, we can supply the Arjun to the Afghans. The Hamid Karzai govt. is a friend, right!
good article by sandeep unithan. i hope it is correct!
thanks shiv for posting. had no idea the india today website was free now. thought it required one of those silly subscription codes or something to read full articles! it has become a rag if you ask me, but good to see some good articles still making it through the fight for space!
‘The Arjun’ will be a decisive force in the plains and deserts, despect what the detractors are saying repeatedly. The tank is in the philosophical lineage of the centurion with good protection, gun and mobility. Some who did not imbibe armour ethos when the opportunity was given, today are the greatest opponents to the Arjun project. is SOMEONE up there listening. The Arjun will save your bacon just as the centurion brigade did in our past wars!!!
Why only 124 more tanks? A afce saving measure for DRDO? Well you put the thing on market and you shall hardly find any buyers for the same. Imagine someone trying to sell a piece that even the designers own country wont accept ….. !!!