THE ARJUN TANK SAGA

The first and the only Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun, that India has ventured to produce and operationalise have a long and eventful history behind it.

Since I, by destiny or accident, have been associated with this very ambitious DRDO Project of Arjun Tanks, I felt duty-bound to relate the interesting saga behind it, as it not only brings into focus the capabilities or otherwise of the massive DRDO organization, but also reveals the lack of coordination between the Armed Forces, DRDO, and MOD (Defence Production), which has denied the country the much-needed capability of defence equipment production, resulting in almost total dependence on import of war-like stores, with all its collateral disadvantages, including corruption. I am narrating this with total frankness, as otherwise the lessons that have to be drawn from the experience of this programme would get obscured.

How it all began

It is a twist of Destiny, that when the All-Guns Course was first introduced at the ACC&S at Ahmednagar, I happened to attend it. Since I not only qualified but happened to do well also, I acquired the dubious reputation of being not only a ‘Gunnery Expert but also an EXPERT on PARAMETERS for TANK DESIGN!!’ This happened sometime way back in 1960.

 Our Armored Corps is a small well-knit family and hence reputation good or bad circulates fast with armour mobility! Thanks to my good friends and kind senior colleagues, I was soon dubbed as ‘An Expert on TANK TECHNOLOGY! It was this reputation of mine which took me through many tank related activities, where I was not only associated with the Army but also with MOD, DRDO and many high-ranking Government officials such as the Defence Secretary, Scientific Advisor to the RM and so on. A brief mention of these events may throw some light on how I got involved in this mega project and what advantages they bestowed on me to successfully bring this herculean project to its logical conclusion.

It all began sometimes in 1961 when I was suddenly picked up as a member of the Vijayanta Trial Team to visit the UK to trial test that tank, which then was produced by UK for India as Vicker’s Medium, based on Indian specifications in competition with Leopard 2 (German) and AMX 30 France. (Incidentally the Indian GSQR was floated to all these 3 countries to produce a prototype for trials as we urgently needed tanks to replace our ageing World War II vintage fleet. After detailed considerations, we had opted for the Vicker’s Medium (purely on commercial grounds).

Coming back to the trials, we as a team did not find the tank suitable for Indian conditions, but it was a Hobson’s choice, (aseither we buy this or live with the existing diminishing old tank fleet?). After detailed trials, the only salient feature we found in this tank was the world class 105 rifled tank guns, the accuracy of which had already captured the imagination of all tank manufacturers of the world. Consequently,Vicker’s Medium was approved for import and arrived in India, later christened as VIJAYANTA with licensed manufacture at AVADI Tank Factory at Chennai.

 This had two major fallouts, firstly, for the first time the Indian Technicians and Scientists got the feel and experience of tank design and manufacture and secondly, we could boast of being self-reliant in having our own tank. Personally, for me, it was a unique experience, as for a diehard tankman like me; my understanding of tank design essentials inflamed my imagination leaps and bounds. I was now no longer ‘just a tank Gunnery expert but a critical viewer of all tank design features which are CRITICAL in combat to fight a TANK V TANK Battle. It was this initial blooding which held me in good stead when I was assigned more and more tank related challenges finally culminating in the development and operationalization of the MBT ARJUN.

On return from the UK after the Vijatanta Trials, my reputation as ‘Tank Expert’ started growing in the Armored Corps, then in the Army and soon it got percolated in the DRDO and the MOD as well. As a result, whenever there was any issue concerning tanks, I was being consulted. There were a large number of tank related activities that happened after the induction of Vijayanta, but if I was to dwell on each it will not remain a readable article but a BOOK! I would therefore refrain from that and instead, just list out the various projects that I was involved in. These were as follows and in that chronological order: –

1. Uprating the Vijayanta engine by replacing the L60 Leyland Engine with the German MTU/Kirloskar Cumming Engine, as the former had started failing in Indian conditions.
2. Developing a new firing technique for Vijayanta, as the Ranging Machine was not imported and hence one had to make do with the existing optical system.
3. Up gunning the Sherman 6 with AMX13 Gun to give it enhanced firepower. Despite my rejection of that concept, they went ahead with it, which only proved DISASTROUS in 1965 War.
4. Trial testing the T-54 Tanks in Czechoslovakia before importing them to India. I had rejected these also, but because of the situation created after 1965 War, when there was uneasy Ceasefire on the Western Border and we were woefully short of tanks, we had to buy them as “Beggars cannot be Choosers”? I however laid down one condition that these tanks will have to be up-gunned with the British 105 mm Tank Gun, which now our own Ordinance factory was making even better than the one manufactured in the UK. This recommendation was approved by the Team, as it was led by no less than a War Veteran like Gen KK Singh who had led the Armored Brigade during the 1965 War.
5. As a followup to my up-gunning suggestion, I was back again involved in this project to ensure its feasibility cum success. This for our Country was a world-class achievement which even the experts like Israel acknowledged and praised. (I will deal with the authenticity of this statement later). It was in this Project that I was noticed by the then famous SA to the RM, Dr Arunachalam. Since that event, he kept a very close monitor on me and that was the main cause for his requesting COAS Gen Rodrigues to loan me for salvaging the almost dying ARJUN Project. (More on this later).
6. It was sometime during these activities that a decision was taken at the highest level to go into the development of an indigenous tank through the DRDO route and I was called by the AC Directorate to frame the GSQR for an indigenous tank. This was sometime in the early 70’s. By then, besides having earlier exposure to tank design, I had also gone through two Wars, where I had an intense experience of tank battles which equipped me with those vital tank design features which are essential in combat. It was with that background I had drafted the first GSQR for the Indian tank little realizing at that point in time, that after almost 20 years I will be made to give this GSQR a concrete shape in the form of the ARJUN Tank!! 

A deeper connect

To logically connect the story, a few important incidents may not be out of place. The first and most important of these was a diehard infantryman but a brilliant officer like Gen K Sundarji suddenly arriving on tank cum mechanized scene.

As is now well known, for the first time in the Indian Army History, an infantry general was selected to command the only Armored Division at that time and that happened to be non-other than late COAS (then a Maj Gen) Gen K Sundraji. It was my good fortune that when he took over the Armored Division, I was selected to be his GSO 1. During this close association with the General, we developed a very close professional and personal relationship which lasted till he left us all. It is common knowledge that Gen Sundarji was one of our most outstanding Chiefs and a man with exceptional vision and foresight. He was passionate about giving the Field Army the necessary MOBILITY to fight modern wars which were almost negligible in our Army at that time. Naturally therefore his focus turned to MECHANISED WARFARE in which the tanks were pivotal.

It is this interest of his which compelled him to get deeply interested in the development of the ARJUN tank. He discussed many issues with me on this indigenous programme and we finally came to the conclusion that if a senior armoured corps officer is not associated to establish coordination and liaison between the Army and DRDO, this project will not reach fruition. Consequently, the appointment of the DGCV was created and Gen SPM Tripathi (a very outstanding AC officer) was posted to man it. This was the first important landmark in the development of ARJUN and in hindsight, I would give the entire credit of this to Gen Sundarji’s vision, commitment and boldness to see that the ageing Army start getting its required ‘TEETH’ for combat.

Arjun dream goes bigger

The DGCV’s involvement in the Arjun Project started and continued to give the Arjun development not only the desired momentum but also the timely user inputs which are critical to ensure that the end product remains contemporary to technological developments and user friendly. Fortunately, very outstanding officers manned that appointment including our former COAS Gen Shankar Roy Choudhary. Their overseeing the project and keep providing user inputs to the DRDO gave the required momentum to the otherwise sagging Project.

The most remarkable facet I found in Dr Kalam was the total trust he placed in me and allowed me to handle the project as per my management style. In hindsight, I feel this was the one single factor which was the mainstay to see through the success of the ARJUN Project, otherwise, a 20 years old project could not have completed in a record time of 6 months!

My own renewed association with this programme started in this appointment. It so happened that after my tenure as GOC 4 Corps I was posted as DGCV on special request by the then SA Dr Arunachalam. On my arrival at Delhi to take over my new job, that very day Dr Abdul Kalam was taking over as the new SA. I had never met him before so, Dr Arunahcalam arranged a special meeting where I was formally introduced to Dr Kalam. In this very first meeting, we established a unique relationship which has lasted even till today. Of course, the success of the ARJUN Project acted as the final seal.

The most remarkable facet I found in Dr Kalam was the total trust he placed in me and allowed me to handle the project as per my management style. In hindsight, I feel this was the one single factor which was the mainstay to see through the success of the ARJUN Project, otherwise, a 20 years old project could not have completed in a record time of 6 months!

After joining the Army our mind is so conditioned that we cultivate a much-formalized style of functioning. It is an established format, but within it there is plenty of scope for adjusting it to your own personalised way of adaptation. This format we in the Army call “Appreciation of a Situation” and it follows the under mentioned sequence: –

1. Study of the situation.
2. Evolving the AIM to be achieved.
3. Terms of references that has to be kept in mind.
4. Outline Plan of execution.
5. Phasing out the Plan with a time schedule for completion of each phase.
6. Executive orders for execution.
7. Monitoring it to ensure time schedule and quality of the product is maintained.
8. Trial and testing out the product to see its efficacy.
9. Launching the production and operationalizing it.

This was the same model I applied while handling the Arjun Project. The first act I did was to visit the DRDO laboratory at AVADI and study the prototype that had been made for some time and was still awaiting proper user trials. After studying the prototype for the first time and discussing the design aspects with the DRDO Scientist and Technicians I came to the conclusion that the BASIC design concept (which was a combination of the German Leopard 2 and the British Chieftain design) was sound, but where they were failing was, in the dovetailing of the features of these two tanks into a functional hybrid.

My first reaction was that a ‘HYBRID’ will always have matching problems till one does not apply the principle of ‘ACCEPTABLE COMPROMISES’ to give it its ‘OWN FUNCTIONAL IDENTITY’. Of course, in this process, lowering of standard in some functional characteristics will perforce have to be accepted, but as long as the vital characteristics such as ACCURACY OF FIREPOWER AND MOBILITY are not mitigated, the churning out of a functional model will be possible.

The first thing I did was to visit the DRDO laboratory at AVADI and study the prototype that had been made for some time and was still awaiting proper user trials.

Just when I was in the process of working out my strategy to take the ARJUN Project to a successful conclusion, I was detailed to go to LONDON to represent India in the International Armor Conference. It is there that I had the good fortune to meet Gen Israel Tal (the famous Israel Armor Commander). It was during this meeting he gave me some advice which became my strategic for the ARJUN Project development. Let me quote this conversation verbatim as under: –

“Gen I am informed that you are handling the Tank project for India if so, let me give you some advice from my experience of making our MARKAVA Tank. Never attempt to make a PERFECT TANK. If you aspire to do that, you will only lose TIME, MONEY and SELF CONFIDENCE. As long as the first model can move, run and fire, it is good enough. That first model will give you not only KNOW HOW and CONFIDENCE but will become the PLATFORM for further updates as EXCELLENCE and TECHNICAL ADVANCEShave NO BOUNDS”

After this short interaction with this famous modern leader of armour warfare, I not only developed more admiration for him but at the same time learnt a new approach for tank development. There and then I decided to work on that strategy to develop ARJUN and it never failed me till the end. For this wisdom, I will forever remain grateful to Gen Tal. I was fortunate to meet him again after the success of the Arjun Project and I profusely thanked him for that timely advice of his. All that was left now was to ORGANISE my ARJUN TEAM, MOTIVATE them and work out a TIMEBOUND PLAN for execution.

My first visit to the CVRDE Avadi convinced me that their Director Dr Natarjan and his team of scientist and technicians were a highly dedicated and committed a lot of personalities. They were of course giving out the best in their own individual capacities, but according to my purely ‘military judgment’, I felt they were not working as a homogenous team. My first task, therefore, was to weld them into highly motivated and mission-oriented ARJUN TEAM, something that we do during our command of a unit or subunit.

To this mode of my functioning, in the beginning, there was some resistance, but since both the SA and the Director CVRDE had given me an open charter, my effort slowly started showing encouraging results. The modus operandi I used was typical ‘FAUJI’; have a common uniform, a motivational emblem cum slogan and function as a cohesive team; MISSION ORIENTED TO SEE THAT THIS AMBITIOUS NATIONAL PROJECT ESTABLISHES IN THE WORLD COMMUNITY THAT INDIA HAS GRADUATED TO DESIGNING AND PRODUCING ITS OWN MBT THEREBY MOVING INTO THAT EXCLUSIVE INTERNATIONAL CLUB OF TANK MANUFACTURERS. The wearing of the Black overalls, wearing of the Arjun cap, designing of the Arjun emblem, making of the Arjun Path and constructing of the prefab Camp at Suratgarh Ranges was all a part of this ARUN TEAM BUILD UP EFFORT.

The result of all this effort was that the entire DRDO started viewing the Arjun programme with a feeling of pride and great expectations. Any amount of assistance we needed was forthcoming with effortless ease and speed. When momentum gathered and the possibility of the Projects success started buzzing around, even sceptics such as the USERS, MOD, OFD and the like started showing sudden keen interest in the programme. I recall the then late COAS Gen BC Joshi visiting me at the Suratgarh Ranges a number of times. Not only that, he physically operated the tank to test out its all-round efficacy.

After I was convinced that the tank was ready for rigorous trials, we switched on to the intense trial mode and subjected the tank to very intensive trials to test out all its individual systems and their matching capabilities to meet General Staff Qualitative Requirements. The trials were done under the most challenging conditions both in terrain as well as weather. Of course, it was a very trying experience not only for the crews, user representatives, scientists, technicians and the entire repair and administrative backup staff but despite all the obvious hazards of desert conditions, total isolation from the urban environment and constant hard work, the entire Arjun Team to their credit displayed unusual enthusiasm, courage and motivation to see that success is achieved.

Teamwork

Here I must acknowledge the support that the Indian Air force lent to us. They had put two aircraft carriers at our disposal at Suratgarh airfield for transporting the tank to Avadi if major repairs were required at the CVRDE. We did use this valuable asset a number of times, as during the trials many technical problems were revealed which required urgent and speedy technical attention at the CVRDE, to see the continuous and smooth progress of the trial in order to maintain the planned scheduled. Some aspects of the way the trial conducted are briefly given below.

The parameter of MOBILITY was tested by continuously subjecting the tank to run over difficult and weather conditions for a long time to see that its German MTU engine and the Hydro Pneumatic System suspension could withstand the hazards of such prolonged combat exposure without constant repair backup.

The parameter of FIREPOWER was tested with extensive firing in both static and the mobile modes to establish the accuracy of the Gun and its Fire Control Systems. These tests were also conducted in all weather, daylight and night conditions.

The parameter of its PROTECTION provided by the unique KANCHAN Armor was done in a laboratory test HMRL.

As the trials started reaching their climax our confidence in the tank also started building up and we soon came to the conclusion that Arjun was now ready for launch and be dedicated to the Nation as their own designed, developed and produced MBT.

28 Feb 1993 was chosen as the auspicious DAY when we were to DEDICATE ARJUN to the NATION. Taking specific permission from Dr Kalam I sent invitations to the entire high-ranking officers of the MOD, Army and Parliamentary Committee on Defence. Shri Sharad Pawar, the then Defence Minister, was invited as the Chief Guest. All the invitees flew into Suratgarh where the live Demonstration of the ARJUN was to be staged at the Ranges.

As the trials started reaching their climax our confidence in the tank also started building up and we soon came to the conclusion that Arjun was now ready for launch and be dedicated to the Nation as their own designed, developed and produced MBT.

The receipt of the invitation by the invitees started an unusual flutter across the entire Nation. Along with excitement and enthusiasm one could also fathom a feeling skepticism bordering into disbelief, so much so that the COAS rang me up to ask me whether I was fully confidence of the tank’s success, which otherwise might prove a major embarrassment across the board. I was much too confident to relent at this stage and boldly reassured the COAS about ARJUN’s resounding success.

The Demonstration and its stage management were flawless; from the time the guests arrived, their reception at the Suratgarh airfield, their movement to the ranges their seating arrangements at a vantage point, synchronized commentary during the course of the demonstration and so on. The Demonstration started at 1000 hrs. with big fanfare with simulated battle noises all around the spectator stand to give the effect of a combat environment. Thereafter the ARJUN started displaying its various technical capabilities in the following sequence:-

1. Zeroing through the muzzle bore sight.
2. Zeroing by fire.
3. Firing from static platform at ranges of 1200 m, 1500 m and 2000 m.
4. Rapid fire at targets displaced at different ranges and in different modes of cover and deployment.
5. Firing on the move.
6. Firing at moving targets.
7. Firing on the move at moving targets.
8. Mobility capability by speedy movement in plain terrain.
9. Obstacle crossing capability by jumping across ditches and negotiating difficult dunes at various angles of accent and decent.

The demonstration

 Just when the Demonstration commenced, I cannot say about the feelings of other stakeholders such as Dr Kalam and Dr Natarajan, but even after 20 years, as I am narrating this event, I can vividly recall my own emotions before the start. It is common knowledge that when one is involved in a high-stake event such as this, irrespective of how much preparations, rehearsals and precautions you may have taken, the feeling of uncomfortable anxiety never abandons you.

It was with that kind of tension I was sitting close to the Defence Minister, SA and the COAS, with the fond hope that all will go off well. Like is my habit, I was praying with all my heart for the success of this Mega Event. During this internal self-surrender to God, my mind went racing inward to the famous Battle of Mahabharath. The similarity of the situation was striking! Here was ARJUN at test, all that now I prayed was for Sri Krishna to become its CHARIOTER and win the Battle!!

Just when the Demonstration commenced, I cannot say about the feelings of other stakeholders such as Dr Kalam and Dr Natarajan, but even after 20 years, as I am narrating this event, I can vividly recall my own emotions before the start.

In retrospect, I now feel my prayers were heard and blessed as the entire DEMONSTRATION went through flawlessly and was an unqualified success. The whole spectator stand was resounding with applaud and clapping of hands. In fact, as the demonstration progressed the sound of applause became louder and louder. The happiness and satisfaction were recognizable on each and every spectator’s face. As for my happiness, it defied expression. In fact, after the demonstration during the festive lunch that followed at the Arjun Campus, I was thronged by all VIPs and the Media. I was showered with felicitations to an extent that it became almost humiliating to accept.

After lunch, I drove Sri Sharad Pawar and Dr Kalam to the helipad in my open jeep. During the journey, the Defence Minister told the SA that this event should not only get intense media publicity, but all who worked to make it success must be duly rewarded. That I felt was the final DEDICATION of ARJUN to the NATION.

The launch of Arjun was just the initial part of my overall plan. If you recall, at the beginning of this write up I had indicated that what had been the key factor which motivated me to lend so much dedication, commitment and energy to this programme was to exhibit that India is capable of becoming SELF-RELIANT in arms production, that is if there is total synergy between the involved stakeholders i.e., THE USER, DRDO, MOD, OFD and THE PUBLIC cum PRIVATE SECTOR INDUSTRY. Throughout my Arjun Tank association, I never lost sight of this vital national necessity. I would now like to dwell on that part of this programme.

Right at the outset, this one thought remained predominant in my mind and as a consequence, in my Arjun Team, I started associating all the above-mentioned stakeholders with the Project, who will be responsible for indigenously manufacturing this tank and supplying to the Army. Towards that end, the following were associated: –

1. From users, a team comprised of Maj Gen Gurdial Singh, Brig BS Sandhu, Col HS Rajawat and Col HM Singh, the officers and men of the 43 Armored Regiment, (the unit which was nominated to be the first to be equipped with this tank).
2.  From the OFD the tank manufacturing factory at AVADI.
3. From the Public and Private Industry, HVF, BHEL, L&T, TATA (M), Kirloskar Cummings, BEML, OEF and many others.

A miss?

With this integrated approach, I was fully confident that the entire Nation’s technical knowhow has been dovetailed in this Programme so much so that the SA and the Defence Production authorities had nominated BHEL, BEML and TATA (M) as the future production industries to undertake Arjun production with an equal share in the number of tanks for which the order was to be placed. With this assurance, I had made extensive visits to these enterprises, assessed their production capability and interacted with their management, technicians and workers.

When these private enterprises were beaming with confidence and enthusiasm, to my utter shock and disappointment the ‘Penny dropped’!When the first lot of 129 tanks ordered by the Army, they were farmed out to HVF AVADI, leaving the expecting private sector nominated players shocked, disappointed cheated and thoroughly dejected, as on my tacit assurance they had made a considerable financial investment to recast a special production line for tank manufacture, as it was entirely a new ball game for them.

After a lapse of 20 years when I sit and reflect on this very ambitious National Project, which Destiny had very benevolently given me a chance to mastermind, only sorrow and disappointments are the emotions that resurface.

This was a great emotional shock to me because I felt that my patriotism and credibility has been smeared. In fact, I could neither face the private industrial friends that I had cultivated in the course of this venture, nor my user colleagues, nor those Arjun team members who had placed such implicit faith and trust in my leadership. The shock was so intense, that I not only abandoned the Arjun Project, but was taken very seriously ill and reached a critical state of survival in the hospital.

After a lapse of 20 years when I sit and reflect on this very ambitious National Project, which Destiny had very benevolently given me a chance to mastermind, only sorrow and disappointments are the emotions that resurface.

Of course, from the latest reports that I am hearing, about how the ARJUN outclassed T-90 in technical performance trials (which I had never had any apprehensions about), and the launching of the New Marks of ARJUN, by incorporating latest technical updates as also designing its variants like ARVs, Dozers and Trawls, does cheer me up, but only partially? WHY? Because from what I have just learnt that ‘MY LIFE LONG AMBITION OF MAKING OUR COUNTRY SELF RELIANT IN ARMS PRODUCTION IS STILL A FAR CRY, AS THE GOVERNMENT STILL REMAINS COCOONED IN GOVT ENTERPRISES WITHOUT HAVING FAITH IN PRIVATE SECTOR TO GET FULLY INTERGATED INTO DEFENCE PRODUCTION. THAT SORROW I STILL DEEPLY HARBOUR, BUT WITH THE OPTIMISM, THAT SOMEONE WITH VISION, WILL UNDERSTAND THE SERIOUS FALLOUTS OF THIS SUBJECTIVE POLICY ON OUR NATIONAL SECURITY.