India Moves to Fortify T-90S Bhishma Tanks with Israeli Trophy APS, Deepening Strategic Defense Partnership

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) – In a significant step toward enhancing its armored warfare capabilities, the Indian Army is expected to equip its T-90S/SK Bhishma main battle tanks with the battle-proven Trophy Active Protection System (APS), developed by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Systems.

This move not only fortifies India’s armored units against modern battlefield threats but also underscores the growing depth of defense and security cooperation between New Delhi and Tel Aviv.

The Trophy APS is among the most widely deployed active protection systems in the world, integrated into several of the most advanced main battle tanks, including the M1A2 SEPv2 Abrams, the latest Leopard 2 variants, the Challenger 3, and Israel’s own Merkava series.

Its ability to intercept and neutralize incoming threats in real time has made it a benchmark for modern armored vehicle protection.

Notably, there is a strong possibility that Trophy APS units could be manufactured domestically in India should the country proceed with integrating the system into its fleet.

Such a development would align with India’s Make in India initiative and further bolster indigenous defense production capabilities.

At the recently concluded Aero India 2025, Rafael solidified this partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) to develop a customized variant of the Trophy APS tailored to meet the operational requirements of the Indian Army.

 

“This partnership between two technology-driven companies, Rafael and L&T, brings the newest version of the battle-proven Trophy APS as a bespoke solution customized for Indian combat platforms. It will be manufactured in India with local sustainment capabilities,” said Arun Ramchandani, Senior Vice President & Head of L&T Precision Engineering & Systems.

“This APS will enhance the survivability of in-service as well as future combat platforms to be inducted by the Indian Armed Forces.”

The development comes amid India’s ongoing efforts to modernize its armored forces.

In early February 2025, the Indian Army issued a Request for Information (RFI), inviting both domestic and international defense firms to submit proposals for the acquisition of a next-generation active protection system (APS).

The official specifications indicate that this system will be integrated into the country’s fleet of T-90 Bhishma main battle tanks, reinforcing their ability to withstand evolving battlefield threats.

Developed in partnership with Russia and produced in large numbers within India, the T-90S Bhishma and its upgraded variants form the backbone of the Indian Army’s armored fleet.

 

Since its introduction in the early 2000s, India has consistently expanded its T-90 main battle tank fleet, acquiring successive batches of Russian-origin armored platforms while steadily increasing the integration of locally developed components and indigenous technologies with each procurement cycle.

The latest milestone in this ongoing modernization effort is the introduction of the T-90 MK III, the most advanced variant to date.

This upgrade stems from India’s last major procurement agreement with Russia, inked in 2019, with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2024.

At present, India operates an estimated 1,657 T-90 tanks, including the T-90S and T-90 Bhishma Mk2 variants.

In November 2019, New Delhi formalized a contract for an additional 464 T-90 Bhishma Mk3 units, reinforcing its commitment to maintaining one of the world’s largest T-90 fleets.

The first batch of 10 units was officially delivered on May 13, 2024, with subsequent deliveries set to further expand India’s armored force. With this latest acquisition, the total number of T-90 tanks in Indian Army service is expected to surpass 2,100 units.

However, as battlefield dynamics evolve, particularly in light of lessons drawn from the Ukraine conflict, the need for enhanced tank survivability and defensive capabilities has become increasingly evident.

The vulnerability of armored units to modern anti-tank threats has underscored the critical importance of Active Protection Systems (APS)—a key element in India’s ongoing efforts to future-proof its armored forces against emerging threats.

Despite being equipped with Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA), the Russian-built T-90 main battle tank remains vulnerable to modern Western anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) such as the Javelin and NLAW, both of which employ tandem warheads designed to defeat layered armor protection.

This growing challenge has prompted India to explore next-generation active protection systems (APS) to bolster the survivability of its armored fleet.

In response, the Indian Army recently issued a Request for Information (RFI) outlining its operational requirements for both soft-kill and hard-kill APS.

The system must be capable of neutralizing a range of battlefield threats, including ATGMs, guided rockets, drones, and kinetic projectiles, while ensuring seamless integration into the T-90 fleet without compromising performance.

Israeli defense giant Rafael, a leader in APS technology, has emphasized the capabilities of its Trophy system, which has seen extensive combat deployment.

“The Trophy system, which provides automatic hostile fire detection, delivers precise and repeatable performance with an interception probability exceeding 90 percent. Whether at short or long range, and even while on the move, Trophy provides 360° protection with a high elevation angle. Its countermeasures include a variety of active interception mechanisms, such as blast effects, fragmentation, explosively formed penetrators (EFPs), and bullets.”

Further strengthening its defensive capabilities, the Trophy APS has recently been enhanced with a top-attack defense upgrade, specifically designed to counter aerial threats, including drones and missiles—a critical improvement that addresses the growing vulnerability of armored vehicles to strikes targeting their most exposed area: the top.

— DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA