10 most powerful weapons of Indian Military

India has one of the world's fastest-growing militaries. We have progressed from a regional force with limited tactical capabilities to a growing strategic force with a global reach.

Posted On July 7th, 2021

PINAKA MLRS

The Pinaka served as India's long-range replacement for the BM-21 Grad MLRS (Multiple Launch Rocket System). It entered service in 1998 as a 40 km range system comprised of 12 rockets mounted on an 88 truck outfitted with NBC protection. An improved variant with rockets with a range of 65 kilometers is currently in service.

PAD/AAD BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE (BMD) SYSTEM

The Indian BMD program sparked controversy when it was first announced, but it has come a long way since then. It has been successfully tested against a short-range ballistic missile and is said to be quickly deployable to protect major cities. The core of this system consists of two interceptor missiles, the PAD (Prithvi Air Defence) and the AAD (Advanced Air Defence), as well as the Green Pine radar.

NAMICA (NAG MISSILE CARRIER)

This is a relatively unknown weapon created by India. The Nag Anti-Tank missile of the third generation, mounted on a modified BMP-2 chassis, is at the heart of this system. It has 8 Nag missiles in armored box launchers, plus another 8 for reloading, as well as a full optical and infrared sensor suite to detect enemy tanks.

P-8I NEPTUNE

The P-8I was chosen because of its superior endurance and sensor suite, which is unrivalled by any other ASW aircraft. It has a mission endurance of four hours at a distance of two thousand kilometers from the base. This means it can fly 2000 km from the base, hunt submarines for 4 hours, and then return to base on internal fuel alone.

T-90S BHEESHMA

With over 5000 T-55/72 tanks in service, it was only natural for the Indian Army to select the T-90S as their replacement. They were initially obtained in haste from Russia in response to its neighbor's attempt to purchase the T-80 and Abrams tanks. It weighs only 48 tonnes and has a crew of three, thanks to the use of an autoloader for the 125 mm smoothbore gun.

INS VIKRAMADITYA INS KOLKATA

The INS Vikramaditya, India's newest aircraft carrier, is the largest ship the country has ever operated. This refurbished 45,000-ton carrier is currently the most powerful asset in the Indian Ocean. It is capable of deploying 24 MiG-29K fighters as well as 6 ASW/AEW helicopters. This formidable combination provides the Indian Navy with a powerful tool for power projection.

PHALCON AWACS

India was late to the Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AWACS) game, but they came in with a bang, acquiring what the FAS describe as the world's most advanced AWACS. It is made up of an Israeli Elta EL/W-2090 radar mounted on a Russian Il-76 plane. This radar is a 360-degree Active Electronically Scanning Array (AESA) that is housed within a dome on top of the Il-76.

INS CHAKRA

The INS Chakra has been modified for Indian needs and carries 36 torpedoes and Klub anti-ship missiles that can be fired from the 853 mm torpedo tubes. According to reports, India will purchase another Akula SSN, the Iribis, which is currently under construction. It could be modified to transport vertical launch tubes for BrahMos missiles.

BRAHMOS MISSILE

This is without a doubt India's most well-known weapon. It was the result of a collaboration between India and Russia to modify the Yakhont missile for Indian needs and turn it into a universal missile that could be launched from any platform. This 9-meter-long, 3-ton missile has now become the backbone of the Indian Defense forces as a long-range standoff weapon. It is currently in use.

SU-30MKI

The Su-30Mki is the IAF's bread and butter, as the rest of their fleet consists of legacy 4th generation fighters with only a fraction of the capabilities of this fighter. It outperforms any other fighter in the region with its 4000+ km range, 12 hardpoints for 8000 kg of weapons, and PESA Bars radar. It is safe to assume that one Su-30Mki can perform the functions of two MiG-29s and two Jaguars combined.