India to procure auxiliary power units for T-72 and T-90 tanks
Indian Army T-90 tanks will be among the platforms equipped with newly procured indigenous APUs, which enable onboard systems to operate without running the main engine. (Russian MOD)
India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a deal with Pune-based Accurate Industrial Controls to procure an unspecified number of locally developed auxiliary power units (APUs) for Indian Army T-72 and T-90 main battle tanks (MBTs).
The MoD said in a press release published on 21 September that the contract is worth INR5.86 billion (USD61 million). It added the contract was awarded under the Defence Acquisition Procedure's (DAP) industry-funded Make-II category. Under Make-II, Indian companies develop prototypes at their own expense before potential procurement by the armed forces.
The MoD said, “The APU is an alternate source for generation of electric power for fire control system, firing circuit, gun stabilisation system and other ancillaries of the tank.
“The induction of indigenously developed APUs will further strengthen the operational readiness, reliability and sustainability of the Indian Army's mechanised formations.”
The MoD approved the procurement of an undisclosed number of APUs for the T-72 and T-90 MBTs in October 2019. The Indian Army subsequently issued an expression of interest (EOI) seeking responses from Indian vendors to design and manufacture 3,257 APUs for its fleet of T-72M1 and T-90S MBTs.
At the time, the Indian Army announced a requirement for 1,657 APUs for the army's T-90Ss and 1,600 for its T-72M1s, with each unit priced at INR3 million.
Local media reported in November 2020 that the MoD had signed a contract with Indian company OshoCorp to develop four APU prototypes, although Janes was not able independently verify this.
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