According to an estimate, nearly two-thirds of India's military equipment originates in Russia. This includes fighter jets, tanks, warships as well as guns. In practical terms, the Indian military is dependent on Russia to supply both building materials and finished products

Right now, India cannot afford to take a stance against Russia, especially given our military dependence and the ever-present two-war threat. In the last few years, threats of a 'two-front war' involving Pakistan and China needling India simultaneously have become all the more real.

Given this geo-political scenario, any hypothetical clash with Pakistan or China, or both together, will see Delhi look towards Moscow, whether it's for military resupplies or spares.

Here is a look at the Russian military equipment which is currently being used by the Indian defence forces:


Smerch Multi-Rocket System

The BM-30 Smerch is a heavy, multiple rocket launcher. It was designed to defeat armoured targets in concentrated areas, artillery batteries, command posts and ammunition depots.

Grad Multi-Rocket System

The BM-21 ‘Grad’ is a Soviet truck-mounted 122 mm multiple rocket launcher. The complete system with the BM-21 launch vehicle and the M-21OF rocket is known as a Grad multiple rocket launcher system.

M-46 Artillery Guns

The M-46 is a manually loaded, towed, 130 mm artillery field gun. For many years, the M-46 was one of the longest range artillery systems around, with a range of more than 27 km.

T-55 Pillbox Config:

The T-55 is a Soviet-built Main Battle Tank (MBT). Pillboxes are similar to bunkers, but they are usually fairly small, between 6 and 10 square feet. The Indian army used T-55 tanks as pillboxes along the Line of Control.

T-90 Tanks:

The T-90 is a third-generation Russian MBT. It uses a 125 mm 2A46 smoothbore main gun, the 1A45T fire-control system, an upgraded engine and gunner's thermal sight. Protective measures include a blend of steel and composite armour, smoke grenade dischargers, Kontakt-5 explosive-reactive armour and the Shtora infrared ATGM jamming system.

T-72 Tanks:

The T-72 is a Soviet-designed MBT. In front-line Russian service, T-72s are being upgraded or augmented by the T-90, which is a modernised version of the T-72B. The T-72 has been exported and produced in many countries.


BMP-II

The BMP-2 is a second-generation, amphibious infantry fighting vehicle introduced in the 1980s in the Soviet Union. It is an agile, reliable and serviceable vehicle with adequate engine power for most all-terrain missions.

Konkurs ATGM:

The Konkurs Anti-tank Guided Missile is a Semi-automatic command to line of sight missile (SACLOS). The missile was initially designed to be fired from vehicles. It can be fired from later models of the 9M111 launchers.

Kornet:

The 9M133 Kornet is a second generation Russian man-portable anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) intended for use against main battle tanks. It was first introduced into service with the Russian army in 1998. The Kornet is among the most capable Russian ATGMs.

OSA Surface-To-Air Missile (SAM):

It is a highly mobile, low-altitude, short-range tactical surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed in the Soviet Union in the 1960s and fielded in 1972. Osa was the first mobile air defence missile system incorporating its own engagement radars on a single vehicle.

Pechora Surface-To-Air Missile (SAM):

The S-125 Neva/Pechora is a Soviet surface-to-air missile system. Due to its two-stage design, it is more effective against more manoeuvrable targets than its predecessors.

Strela Surface-To-Air Missile (SAM):

The Strela is a light-weight, shoulder-fired, surface-to-air missile. It falls under the category of Man-portable air-defence systems (MANPADS). It is designed to target aircraft at low altitudes with homing guidance and destroy them with a high explosive warhead.


Shilka Anti-Air Gun

The ZSU-23-4 ‘Shilka’ is a lightly armoured Soviet self-propelled, radar-guided anti-aircraft weapon system. It is named after the Shilka River in Russia. Afghan soldiers nicknamed it the "sewing machine" due to the sound the guns on it made while being fired.

Tunguska Anti-Aircraft System:

It is a Russian self-propelled, anti-aircraft weapon, armed with a surface-to-air gun and missile system. It is designed to provide day and night protection for infantry and tank regiments against low-flying aircraft, helicopters, and cruise missiles in all weather conditions.

Dragunov SVD:

The Dragunov sniper rifle is a semi-automatic designated marksman rifle which uses 7.62×54mm rounds. It was developed in the Soviet Union between 1957-63 and has since become the standard squad support weapon in several countries.

Kalashnikov:

A Kalashnikov rifle is any one belonging to a series of automatic rifles based on the original design of Mikhail Kalashnikov. They are commonly called AKs. They are some of the most widely used guns in the world, with an estimated 72 million rifles in global circulation.

OSV-96 Rifles:

The OSV-96 is a Russian heavy semi-automatic precision rifle that uses 12.7×108mm ammunition. The rifle is capable of engaging infantry at a distance of up to 1800 metres. It keeps the shooter outside of the effective range of conventional calibres, providing a distinct advantage over lower calibre rifles.


NSV Machine Gun:

The NSV is a 12.7mm calibre heavy machine gun of Soviet origin. It is no longer produced in Russia. After the Soviet Union breakup, the licence to make NSVs went to Kazakhstan. The NSV has been manufactured in Bulgaria, India, Poland and Yugoslavia under licence.

BrahMos Missile:

The BrahMos is a medium-range ramjet supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land. It is notably one of the fastest supersonic cruise missiles in the world. It is a joint venture between the Russian Federation's NPO Mashinostroyeniya and India's DRDO.