In the Nation’s Interest

Mihir Paul

While the government’s Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) and Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV) programme saw slight progress in 2018, it now seems to have fallen into the chasms of India’s delay-plagued procurement process that is riddled with bureaucratic resistance.

Next generation Russian main battle tank, T-14 Armata

Armoured vehicles like tanks have invariably played a decisive role in a plethora of conflicts throughout the world and are now considered key components of modern armies. Modern-day battle tanks seldom operate alone as they are organised into armoured units which involve the support of infantry, who may accompany the tanks in infantry combat vehicles. Although extremely lethal, effective, and well protected, tanks become vulnerable to local threats in the battlefield when independently operated. In the case of asymmetric warfare, threats like infantry carrying portable hand-held anti-tank weapons to improvised explosive devices (IEDs) must be handled well in order to carry out operations effectively. This is where the concept of mechanised infantry comes in. Mechanised infantry deploys alongside tanks on ‘battle taxis’ like Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) and ICVs to support and protect Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) from such threats. APCs and ICVs are fully tracked or all-wheel drive platforms that offer extreme mobility across all terrains. While APCs are usually only armed with light support weapons, ICVs come with machine guns, auto-cannons, small-bore direct fire artillery, anti-tank guided missiles, and gun ports for passengers to fire.

According to Brig. R. Palsokar (retd), the modern integrated battlefield necessitates close coordination between its component fighting arms – tanks, infantry, artillery, et al. backed by reliable and effective communications and logistics.

Future Ready Combat Vehicle

Keeping in mind the Indian Army’s inventory of MBTs and ICVs, the MoD, in November 2017, floated a Request fo