The global landscape of modern warfare has shifted drastically with the introduction of low-cost drones, precision-guided weaponry, and loitering munitions. These innovations have altered combat dynamics, exposing vulnerabilities in heavy main battle tanks and armoured personnel carriers that previously controlled open battle zones, DD India reported.

Because first-person view (FPV) drones and sophisticated anti-tank guided missiles are becoming standard equipment, militaries around the world are urgently trying to improve the survival rate of their frontline heavy vehicles.

India has potentially answered this challenging problem with a breakthrough, entirely indigenous protective technology. Developed by a research team at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, this highly specialized composite armour system has passed crucial rounds of field assessments by the Indian Army. It is now being actively considered for operational integration across multiple Indian combat vehicles.

Officially named the Maharana Pratap Singh Composite Armour, the system is designed to provide high-level defence without ruining vehicle agility. The project was led by Professor Dr. Shantanu Bhowmik from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, who collaborated with Mumbai-based ACE Gas Conversions Pvt. Ltd.

Together, they spent nearly a decade studying advanced hybrid composites and protective materials to perfect the design.

The design specifically targets modern threats like drone-dropped payloads, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), intense battlefield shockwaves, and direct ballistic impacts.

Because it relies on a lightweight composite structure, it adds minimal dead weight compared to traditional steel plates. This allows vehicles to maintain their speed, acceleration, and fuel efficiency.

A major focus of the Indian Army's evaluation is using this material for overhead "cope cages." These structures, which look like metal frameworks or grids raised above a tank's main turret, act as a physical barrier. They detonate incoming top-attack projectiles or exploding FPV drones before they can strike the vehicle's thin top armour.

The potential of the material became clear during tactical reviews in 2025. Brigadier Subhankar Sengupta, operating within the Indian Army's Jhansi formation, championed testing the composite panels on top-attack drone defence shields. This concept proved that the material could easily integrate with existing military hardware.

The developmental path included rigorous safety validations overseen by the Ministry of Defence. Prominent among these were blast survivability trials conducted at the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) in Chandigarh. There, the material had to withstand high-pressure shockwaves and explosive fragments.

Earlier, in September 2023, the research team presented their progress at a high-level defence evaluation meeting at Amrita University's Coimbatore campus. This meeting included representatives from the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and national security agencies. The project eventually earned official praise and backing from senior leaders, including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.

Testing accelerated in January 2026 when Brigadier Sumit Rawat of the White Tiger Division organized field validation trials. The division used actual composite armour panels supplied by the university to test how the system handled real-world deployment pressures.

Recently, the 31 Armoured Division gave the system formal appreciation after testing it at the Babina Field Firing Ranges. During these exercises, a one-metre by one-metre plate weighing 110 kilograms faced a simulated battlefield blast. The test charge featured both high explosives and lethal splinter components.

Major General Mandeep Singh, General Officer Commanding of the 31 Armoured Division, confirmed that the plate successfully absorbed the impact. He noted that the material showed great potential for protecting military assets against IEDs and heavy blasts.

Beyond stopping explosives, the Maharana Pratap Singh Composite Armour provides versatile protection. The hybrid material stops small-arms fire from weapons like the AK-203 assault rifle and Light Machine Guns (LMGs). It also includes built-in soundproofing qualities and can be modified to protect military outposts, command centres, and strategic infrastructure.

Professor Bhowmik explained that naming the technology after Maharana Pratap was a deliberate choice to honour a legacy of battlefield reliability, resilience, and strength. The ongoing development program reflects a successful collaboration between Indian academia and private industry, providing a timely solution to modern tank-killer threats.

Agencies