COAS Gen Upendra Dwivedi (5L) and other senior Army officers pose before the refurbished T-90 at the EME’s 505 Army Base Workshop. (Photo via special arrangement.)
New Delhi: In line with the Indian Army’s ongoing “Decade of Transformation” initiative, the service rolled out the first refurbished T-90 “Bhishma” tank, on Monday. The Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) successfully carried out the comprehensive overhaul of the tank at the 505 Army Base Workshop, located in Delhi Cantonment.
The Army chief, General Upendra Dwivedi, was present at the event.
#UPDATE | General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of the Army Staff, attended the rollout ceremony of the overhauled "T-90 Bhishma tank" at the 505 Army Base Workshop in Delhi Cantonment.
— PB-SHABD (@PBSHABD) October 7, 2024
This initiative enhances the Indian Army’s capabilities and aligns with the #AtmanirbharBharat… pic.twitter.com/0r8y1D4jtV
The thorough refurbishment of the T-90 at the facility marks a crucial advancement in ensuring the combat readiness of the Army’s armoured units. The T-90 tank, which has served as the main battle tank for India’s mechanized forces since 2003, is highly regarded for its formidable firepower, exceptional mobility, and robust protection.
The refurbishment process entailed a complete disassembly of the tank, followed by a meticulous rebuild from the ground up. Over 200 assemblies and subassemblies underwent careful removal and reconstruction with the utilization of precise machining and recalibration techniques.
Employing customized machinery and testing equipment provided by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM), which is Russia’s UralVagonZavod, the technicians at the 505 Army Base Workshop (EME) have exhibited their technical expertise by independently rebuilding and assessing the T-90’s mechanical, electronic, and instrumental components. Each component underwent rigorous testing using automated test equipment (ATEs) prior to reinstallation, thereby ensuring the tank’s preparedness for operations across diverse terrains and effectively extending its operational lifespan.
During the rolling out of the refurbished T-90, Gen Dwivedi commended the EME technicians and officers for their commitment and proficiency in achieving this milestone. He encouraged them to persistently push the boundaries of innovation and expertise in future endeavours.
The Army has around 2,000 of three variants of T-90 Bhishma tanks – T-90S, T-90MS, and Bhishma Mk-III. While many of them are new, several hundred of them need major overhauling and refurbishment.
The Army said the successful refurbishment of the T-90 tank exemplifies the nation’s indigenous capacity to maintain and improve critical warfighting platforms. Through strategic measures in defence manufacturing and maintenance, the current transformation seeks to elevate India’s defence capabilities to new levels.
