India, Russia Sign $1.2 Bn Tank Deal

India and Russia have inked a deal worth $1.237 billion for the additional supply of 347 T-90S main battle tanks (MBT). Part of these tanks will be assembled at Avadi Factory in Tamil Nadu from the kits to be supplied by Uralvagonzavod tank plant situated in Nizhny Tagil in the Urals, according to state-run Radio Mayak. At present, India has 310 T-90S MBTs of which 181 were assembled by the Heavy Vehicles Factory in Avadi from the kits imported from Russia. Under the Transfer of Technology (ToT) and licensed production deal inked in November 2006 India will indigenously produce 1000 MBTs.