Army’s stock of anti-tank guided missiles & launchers is outdated & fast running out

Despite repeated efforts to procure advanced ATGMs, the Army still faces shortages, impacting operational readiness of infantry and mechanised infantry battalions.
Smruti Deshpande
New Delhi: The Indian Army is facing an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) deficiency. Even in the existing “outdated inventory” of second-generation ATGMs, the Army is short of approximately 50 percent of launchers and nearly 85 percent of missiles with respect to the total requirement, ThePrint has learnt.

Sources in the Army refused to part with the current holding of launchers and missiles, saying that any revelation in that regard would be detrimental to India’s security.

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However, sources in the defence and security establishment told ThePrint that the infantry is authorised 3,000-5,000 ATGM launchers and more than 2 lakh missiles. “Close to 100 percent of existing inventory is second generation, which is obsolete technology worldwide,” a source said.

A few years ago, the shortfall stood at 68,000 missiles and 850 launchers. This number has only gone up given the lifecycle completion of the existing inventory, sources said.  

Such deficiencies have direct operational implications for the infantry and mechanised infantry battalions operating these systems, a source added.

These deficiencies exist despite the Army’s repeated attempts at procuring advanced ATGMs to enhance capabilities.

This is an alarming situation as the deficiency will further aggravate as the Army continues to phase out old equipment, the source added.

In October last year, the Army floated a Request for Information (RFI) for new-generation ATGMs, launcher systems and simulators. These systems will be deployed in plains, deserts, and high-altitude mountainous terrain and environmental conditions.

The RFI, in its operational requirements, said that these new systems should be able to destroy enemy tanks, armoured personnel carriers, combat vehicles, low-flying helicopters, concrete structures, and other vehicle-based weapon platforms/positions.

The mainstay ATGMs currently in use by the Army are the French-origin Milan-2T with a 2 km range, and the Soviet semi-automatic wire-guided missile Konkurs with a 4 km range. Both these missiles are produced by Bharat Dynamics. The indigenous Defence Research and Development Organisation’s Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) and Nag missiles are in trials. 

In 2014, the Army had shortlisted the Israeli Spike ATGM over the American Javelin following extensive trials. However, the deal could not go through, and India bought a limited number of Spike systems in multiple lots.

However, India and the US are now in talks for the joint production of Javelin missiles.

The Army has been wanting to upgrade its second-generation missiles.

Many other countries including India’s adversaries—China and Pakistan—have graduated to the third and fourth generation missiles, like the HJ-12, OMTAS and Karaok, in their inventories..

Third and fourth-generation ATGMs have advanced features, which include fire-and-forget and fire-and-observe capabilities, top attack and direct attack modes, and dual-mode seeker. These ATGMs also have all-terrain and all-weather operational capability.

In addition to ATGMs, the Army also faces a shortage of the 84 mm recoilless launcher. The manufacturing of recoilless launchers in India has stopped for some time now. This is owing to an agreement with the OEM SAAB Sweden—resulting in shortages of up to 40 percent at this point.

The production of the latest version of RL Mark IV will likely start in India in the newly established SAAB Sweden plant only by 2028-2029.

A source in the defence and security establishment, however, said that in the meantime, there is an urgent requirement of 84 mm RL Mk-IV to address the existing deficiencies.

(Edited by Mannat Chugh)