India to buy 350 more upgraded T-90 tanks

India is set to sign a major arms deal with Russia to buy Main Battle Tanks equipped with French night visions in a deal worth more than $300 million.

India is set to sign a major arms deal with Russia to purchase 350 more upgraded T-90 Main Battle Tanks equipped with French night visions in a deal worth more than $300 million.

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The tanks, which would be used to equip two Indian armoured divisions, are expected to be delivered within 3 to 4 years, according to Russian sources in New Delhi.

The deal was to be signed during the visit of a high level Russian Defence Delegation headed by General Alexi Fedroovich Maslov, but has run into trouble after Moscow demanded millions of dollars more in sale of additional Sukhoi fighters and carrier Groshkov.

However, the Russians say that they are confident that the deal would go through in the next two months.

India is seeking to buy these additional T-90 tanks off the shelf as production under technology transfer at Avadi Heavy armament factory is slow due to technical problems.

The induction of fresh T-90 tanks would mean that two of the three strike corps of the Indian Army would be equipped with these frontline weapons, which are far superior to Pakistan's T-80 tanks acquired from Ukraine.

With the country's indigenous Arjun Main Battle tank still to undergo comparative induction trials, the army's other armoured formations are equipped with upgraded T-72m tanks.