SOURCE: AFI
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has strongly advocated for the development and manufacturing of the Next Generation Main Battle Tank (NGMBT), also referred to by the Indian Army as the Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV), within India. This push towards local production is seen as a critical step towards reducing India’s reliance on foreign military hardware.
In a recent statement, DRDO emphasized that only through domestic manufacturing can the country significantly decrease its dependency on imports for its armored units. “DRDO has been recommending that NGMBT or, as the Army calls it, the FRCA has to be made in the country. Then only, this dependence will come down,” a senior DRDO official noted.
The NGMBT project aims to replace the aging T-72 tanks in the Indian Army’s inventory, introducing advanced features such as superior mobility, enhanced protection, and increased firepower. The current iteration of India’s indigenous tank, the Arjun MBT Mk-IA, already showcases a commendable level of localization, with over 50% of its components by cost being sourced domestically.
DRDO’s vision for the NGMBT is to elevate this even further, targeting an 80-90% local content. This ambitious goal reflects not only a desire to boost self-reliance but also to stimulate the domestic defense industry, creating opportunities for Indian companies to innovate and grow.