Russia Offers Upgraded BMP-3 to India But BMP-T Would Have Been Better, Complementing Indian FICV & MBT

 

 

Russia Offers Upgraded BMP-3

Russia is offering its upgraded BMP-3 Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV), manufactured by High Precision Systems, a subsidiary of Rostec, to export customers in the Asia-Pacific region including India. A spokesperson for Russiaʼs state-owned defence export agency Rosoboronexport, which is also a subsidiary of Rostec, has said Russia is offering the upgraded vehicle to India for supporting its efforts to modernise its armoured vehicle fleets. According to the spokesperson, the baseline BMP-3 IFV has undergone several enhancements, including the integration of a firmware suite enabling the vehicleʼs autonomous operation. The spokesperson said the BMP-3 has been modified after “taking into account the experience of combat usage” gained in Ukraine. The upgraded vehicle was first displayed at the Vietnam International Defence Expo (VIDEX) 2024, held in Hanoi in December 2024.

The BMP-3 features a new chassis, engine, weapons system, and hydro-mechanical transmission. The engine transmission compartment was relocated from the front to the rear among other things. Currently in the Asia-Pacific, the BMP-3 IFV is already operated by armies of Indonesia and South Korea, while Vietnam operates a combined fleet of several hundred BMP-1 and BMP-2 IFVs that were acquired from the late 1970s. Cambodia also operates older BMP-1 versions. The Indonesian Marine Corps operates 54 BMP-3F IFVs, the amphibious variant of the BMP-3, which were procured from Russia in two batches in 2008 and 2012. The service also operates 54 Russian BT-3F amphibious Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), based on the baseline BMP-3. The Korean Army operates 70 BMP-3 IFVs since 1996. The offer to India, includes a modernisation package designed to enhance protection, mobility, and firepower while introducing semi-autonomous functions; and is being offered as a replacement of thousands of aging BMP-2s that Indian Army has been operating since 1970s.

What Russia is offering India, is a BMP-3 with the following:-

1. Enhanced Protection System with modular Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) kits, slat and grill armour to counter drones and loitering munitions, and self-sealing armoured fuel tanks.

2. Fire-Control & Targeting Upgrades include a multispectral day-night sighting unit and an automated fire-control system ensures improved target tracking and engagement precision. This allows for more effective use of laser-guided anti-tank missiles and high-explosive ammunition.

3. Mobility & Power-Train Enhancements with 600-HP engine replacing the older 500HP engine. This power increase enhances acceleration, improved cross-country capability and stability, obstacle negotiation, and sustained performance; ideal for high-altitude or desert operations of India.

4. Versatile Armament of BMP-3 includes a 100mm gun to fire fragmentation shells and ATGMs, a 30mm automatic cannon, and a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun to engage infantry, light armour, and fortified positions.

5. Autonomous & AI Feature in the new BMP-3 includes automated navigation on pre-programmed routes, threat detection, and fire control assistance. This could serve as a steppingstone for India’s future adoption of AI-enabled armoured platforms.

India’s Modernising BMP-2s

India’s has been operating thousands of BMP-2s since several decades. Now these machines are aging, so the indigenous BMP-2M upgrade program has been started. In March 2024, the Indian Ministry of Defence approved upgrades for 693 BMP-2s to the BMP-2M variant. The enhancement package features DRDO and BEL-designed night sights, improved fire-control system, and indigenous electro-optical devices to extend the life of these IFVs. However, buying Russian BMP-3s could present India with logistical complexities with regards to BMP-2s. India will also need to evaluate cost, local manufacturing potential, and technology transfer terms of Russia. But the degree of genuine technology absorption and supply chain localisation is crucial.

FICV - India’s Self-Reliance Effort

While the Russian BMP-3 looks great, it challenges India’s long-term goal of defence self-reliance with FICV. India’s final decision is likely to weigh immediate battlefield readiness against need for developing a domestic industrial capability to produce future combat vehicles. The FICV is India’s long-delayed initiative to design and produce a next-generation IFV—remains a top priority. Under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” mission, the FICV is expected to replace the BMP series entirely with a modular, network-centric, and AI-integrated combat vehicle tailored for Indian conditions.

Russia Must Only Offer BMP-T Numbering 1000

 

To be frank Russia should only offer the BMP-T to India as a compliment to the indigenously developed and built FICV. It can also operate in conjunction with Indian Army’s MBTs like T-72, Arjun Mk1/Mk1A/Mk2, and T90. Why, simply because Indian Army is looking for the FICV as a replacement of BMP-2s and so BMP-3 isn’t really needed. What is needed is BMP-T in total numbers touching maximum a 1000, as a complement to FICV and MBTs of the mechanized armour divisions of Indian Army.

What is a BMP-T

The BMPT "Terminator" (Tank Support Fighting Vehicle) is an Armored Fighting Vehicle (AFV), designed and manufactured by the Russian company Uralvagonzavod. This vehicle was designed for supporting tanks and other AFVs in urban areas. The BMPT is unofficially named the "Terminator" by the manufacturers. It is heavily armed and armored to survive in urban combat.

The BMPT is built on the chassis of the widely used T-72 main battle tank. The BMPT was designed based on combat experience gained during the Soviet–Afghan War and the First Chechen War. Multiple prototypes of a tank support combat vehicle were created prior to the design of the current BMPT. The Object 199 "Ramka" was the prototype later to be designated the modern BMPT with the official producer being Uralvagonzavod. Currently, the operators of BMPT include Russia, Algeria, and Kazakhstan.

A small number were delivered to the Russian Ground Forces for evaluation beginning in 2005. The Russian Defence Ministry finally ordered the BMPT in August 2017. Deliveries of more than 10 vehicles were begun in early 2018. On 1 December 2021, the first BMPT company of nine combat vehicles was introduced into one of the tank regiments of the tank division of the Central Military -District. The version, unofficially dubbed the "Terminator-3", incorporates the chassis, hulls, and components of the T-14 Armata tank.

The history of the BMPT's development can be traced back to the Soviet–Afghan War. Combat experience during the lengthy war revealed that infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) like the BMP-1 and BMP-2 cannot fully deal with infantry, despite the BMP-2's high gun elevation. Although main battle tanks (MBTs) possessed a high amount of firepower, the limited elevation and depression angles of the main gun made them easy targets in mountainous and urban terrain. It was evident that a new vehicle concept was needed. In the 1980s, the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant began designing prototypes for the new concept, early prototypes being Object 781, Object 782, and Object 787. The main requirements for this new machine were to possess large firepower, high angles of elevation and depression, and protection equivalent to that of an MBT. An additional requirement that was meant to supplement the latter was enhanced protection from close-range hand-held RPGs. B  

The need for such a vehicle became even more evident during the First Chechen War. When using conventional armor during urban engagements, Russian forces suffered heavy losses in manpower and equipment, including the destruction of an entire mechanized brigade during the First Battle of Grozny. While these losses cannot be entirely blamed on technology, it became clear that a dedicated anti-personnel fighting vehicle would provide valuable assistance in an urban environment. Self-propelled anti-aircraft guns were used as a temporary solution in Chechnya. However, these vehicles were not well-armored and did not possess the obstacle-clearing capabilities of an MBT.

There have been several different prototype designs of a tank support fighting vehicle, like the Object 193A and the Object 745. A mock-up of the Object 199 was shown for the first time in public during the summer of 2000. This vehicle was slightly different from the current design, being armed with only a single 2A42 30 mm gun and with four 9M133 Kornet missiles located on one side of the turret. The production model of the BMPT was introduced in 2002 and featured twin 30 mm autocannons, two independent 30 mm automatic grenade launchers, and four Ataka missile launchers.

Armament

The BMP-T is heavily armed, its armament includes an unmanned turret armed with:

1.  four launchers for the 130 mm 9M120 Ataka-T anti-tank guided missile (ATGM)

2.  two 30 mm 2A42 with 850 rounds

3.  either two AG-17D or two AGS-30 30 mm grenade launchers with 600 rounds

4.  one 7.62 mm PKTM machine gun with 2,000 rounds

Fire Control System

The commander's panoramic sight (located on the roof) gives the BMPT hunter-killer capabilities by continuously scanning targets for the gunner. To enable the BMPT to engage targets in both day and night conditions and when the BMPT is stationary or moving, a computerized fire-control system is fitted. The sight of the gunner includes a thermal channel, an optical channel, a guided ATGM channel, and a laser rangefinder. The field of view sight has an independent stabilization in two planes. The sights provide detection of targets at ranges up to 7,000 m in poor weather conditions. The commander's B07-K1 panoramic sight is located at the top of the BMPT and has a 360° field of view. This panoramic sight has optical, low-level laser rangefinder and television channels. The B07-K2 standard gunner's sight consists of optical and thermal channels and a laser rangefinder. The vehicle also has hunter-killer capabilities with its separate commander's panoramic sight and gunner's sight which can detect both ground and aerial targets. The gunner is able to use the commander's sight to engage targets if his own sight is disabled or destroyed. The commander of the vehicle also has the ability to override the command to take control of the turret and guns from the gunner. The navigation system used by the BMPT is a combined GPS/GLONASS module.

Protection

The Terminator possesses a System 902A automatic smoke grenade launcher on both sides of the turret which serves as camouflage and provides protection against guided weapons. When the screening system warns the crew of laser tracking, a smoke screen is created by the launch of grenades. Special attention was paid to the survivability of the BMPT and its crew. Certain measures were taken to ensure this like placing the fuel tanks in a sealed housing compartment and fastening the seats towards the roof in case of a mine penetration. There are additional fuel tanks located in the rear of the hull in an armored compartment on the left fender. The vehicle is equipped with an automatic fire fighting system to fight any fires that will ignite within the vehicle. Armor is reinforced with 3rd generation "Relikt" ERA on the frontal armor and both sides of hull and turret, slat (cage) armor in the rear. Missile launchers are reinforced by armored shields, protecting them from splinters and small arms fire. Weapon station is only armored against small arms fire.

Mobility

The maximum speed of the vehicle is 60 km/h over highways and a cruising range of 550 km with external fuel tanks. The BMPT can cross a trench that's as long as 2.7 ± 0.1 m and overcome vertical obstacles as high as 0.85 m. Like the T-72, the transmission of the engine is manual with seven gears for forward and one gear for reverse. The maximum gradient for the BMPT is 30° and 25° when climbing forwards and travelling along a side respectively. Fording capabilities are provided by the BMPT. It can cross water obstacles with a depth of 1.2 m without preparation and 1.8 m with five minutes of preparation. When installed with a snorkel kit, this vehicle is able to cross rivers up to five meters in depth.

Crew and life support

The rear of the driver's compartment, at the front of the vehicle, has been raised, providing greater internal volume. It uses proven elements from those fitted to the T-90 MBT. The Terminator has a crew of five which consists of: a vehicle commander, a driver, a gunner, and two grenade launcher operators. NBC protection is provided to the crew to ensure survival against radiation, chemical and biological weapons. As an option, the BMPT can be fitted with mine-clearing devices such as the KMT-7 or KMT-8 mine sweepers. T-72 tanks can be also converted into BMPT.

BMPT-72 Terminator 2

BMPT-72 "Terminator 2" is an improvement over its predecessor. It is made from a T-72 hull where the turret is replaced with a "Terminator" module and armament. The Terminator 2 can be effectively used to destroy enemy tanks, armored personnel carriers and other armored assets, and to suppress enemy firing emplacements and infantry using grenade launchers and antitank weapons systems. Unlike the Terminator 1 however, the Terminator 2 is a retrofit only package, with old T-72B or T-72M tanks being upgraded to BMPT-72 standard. The Terminator 2 is aimed at the export market. The conversion process of the obsolete vehicles can be undertaken at the customer facilities.

Armament and FCS

The two automatic grenade launchers are removed along with its operators, reducing the crew to three; the number of munitions for the Ataka missiles, 2A42 autocannons, and PKTM machine gun remains unchanged. A new and improved FCS is installed in the BMPT-72. The ballistic computer is electronic and fully digital with a set of weather and topographical sending units. Air burst munitions are under development for BMPT and other Russian military vehicles.

Protection

Although the weight of the new BMPT is reduced by four metric tonnes, its level of protection isn't lower than that of its predecessor. The Terminator 2's length and width is reduced compared to the original Terminator. The BMPT-72 has a height of 3.33 m and a width of 3.6 m while the Object 199 Ramka had a height of 3.44 m and a width of 3.8 m. Additional slat armor is fitted on the rear and sides of the chassis to increase protection against rocket-propelled grenades. Missile launchers for the Ataka missiles are fitted with extra armor to provide protection against splinters and small arms fire. CBRN protection is provided for the crew members and is collective. A type R-168-25UE-2 radio is installed on board the Terminator 2.

Mobility

The mobility of the BMPT-72 does not differ significantly from the original BMPT. An auxiliary diesel APU is also fitted that allows to keep most of the functions activated while the main engine is off. Two options are available, a small 5 kW DGU-5-P27 5-VM1 and a 8 kW DGU-8-P27 5-VM1.

BMP-Terminator 3

BMPT 3 OR Terminator 3, is a new design model of Tank Support Fighting Vehicle based on the Armata Universal Combat Platform with a crew of 3 or 4. Possible armament would be one or two 57 mm autocannons (ammo storage problem), 4x ATGM Sprinter, 2x AGS-40 Balkan automatic grenade launchers, one or two 7.62 mm PKTM machine guns. It will have an automatic gun turret RCWS and in the future may have integrated air defense systems and be fully unmanned. Armata is powered by a new generation 1,500 hp multifuel diesel engine coupled with a hydro-mechanical automatic transmission (unlike the two predecessors), with a maximum road speed of 65–70 km/h (40–43 mph), an operational range of 550 km (340 mi), and a power-to-weight ratio of over 30 hp/tonnes.

The BMPT supports IFVs and MBTs by providing heavy armor and multi-role weaponry to protect them from threats, especially infantry with anti-tank weapons in urban environments. It can destroy a wide range of targets, including other armored vehicles and infantry, with its multiple weapon systems while its comparable armor protection to MBTs allows it to advance alongside them without being easily destroyed. The BMPT relieves MBTs of the burden of engaging dismounted infantry, allowing them to focus on their primary objective of destroying other tanks.

All this shows that BMP-T is an ideal vehicle that can be used as fire support vehicle to support both the IFVs as well as MBTs. In India’s context BMP-T can act as great support cover for both the futuristic FICV or current BMP-2s as well as T-72, T-90, Arjun Mk1/Mk1A/Mk2. How the BMPT provides support to both IFVs/APCs and MBTs.

Defends against infantry threats: The BMPT's heavy armor and powerful armament are designed to neutralize infantry and their anti-tank weapons, which pose a significant threat to tanks in close-quarters fighting.

Increases MBT effectiveness: By taking over the role of protecting tanks from infantry, the BMPT allows MBTs to concentrate on engaging other armored targets.

Provides multi-target engagement: Its multiple weapons, such as 30mm autocannons, automatic grenade launchers, and anti-tank guided missiles, allow the BMPT to engage multiple targets simultaneously in different directions.

Offers MBT-level protection: Built on the chassis of a T-72 tank, the BMPT has heavy armor that provides a high degree of protection, comparable to that of an MBT, allowing it to operate in dangerous situations alongside tanks.

Fills a gap in vehicle roles: It bridges the gap between IFVs and MBTs, providing heavy firepower and protection that neither traditional IFVs nor MBTs can fully provide on their own in a combined arms operation.

So, from the above it can be safely deduced that Russia shouldn’t offer BMP-3s to Indian Army but actually BMP-T3, which will be a hugely helpful support vehicle for any army formation moving forward.