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The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Thursday signed a Rs 2,095.70 crore contract with state-run Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for the procurement of INVAR anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) to be integrated with the Indian Army’s T-90 main battle tanks. The contract concluded under the ‘Buy (Indian)‘ category was signed on Thursday in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, according to a Defence Ministry statement.
The MoD stated that the acquisition will substantially enhance the firepower and stand-off lethality of the T-90 fleet by providing tank crews with a precision, gun-launched missile capability to engage and defeat modern armoured targets at extended ranges. The procurement was described as part of the government’s push to meet operational requirements while leveraging Defence Public Sector Undertakings and domestic industry under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
What the missile brings to the battlefield
The INVAR is a gun-launched, laser beam-riding ATGM produced in India by BDL under Russian technology. It features a tandem high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead designed to defeat Explosively Formed Penetrator (EFP) armour, a semi-automatic laser beam-riding guidance system that is resistant to jamming, and an effective range of up to 5 km, allowing tanks to strike armoured threats beyond conventional gun range. BDL lists the missile’s key performance figures, including a range of 5,000 m and the ability to engage moving targets up to about 70 km/h.
Key specifications
- Guidance: Semi-automatic laser beam riding (jamming-immune).
- Warhead: Tandem HEAT to defeat ERA.
- Range: Up to 5 km.
- Platform: Fired from 125 mm tank gun barrels (primarily T-90).
The deal was under active consideration for roughly 500 INVAR missiles to accelerate fielding across armoured formations. The MoD/BDL release did not provide a delivery schedule or precise production timetable. Officials satement said the procurement will strengthen mechanised operations and provide an operational advantage against potential adversaries while underscoring efforts to indigenise critical defence technologies.
Team BharatShakti
