China vs. India: Main Battle Tanks

Although their shared border is dominated by the Himalayan Mountains, tanks could figure prominently in any future confrontation between India and China. After all, such a clash might not take place in the decidedly tank-unfriendly terrain of the Himalaya, but could instead be waged either in Southeast Asia. Also, after penetrating the high Himals, either army would find themselves on flat, tank-friendly country in Central Asia or on the Ganges Plain. Finally, as the armies of India and China are among the largest in the world, their tank inventories are important in and of themselves.

China

China’s newest tank is the Type 99/98. The tank was derived from the plans of the Russian-made T-72 and T-80 and intended to go head-to-head with the best tanks in the world. The armor is the best laminate of composites and steel the Chinese can make, and can be fitted with reactive plates. Weighing in at roughly 58 tons, the Type 99 is powered by a 1,500 hp diesel engine and can reach speeds of 50 mph, with a range of 370 miles. It comes with a full sensor suite and armed with the Soviet-style 125 mm smoothbore gun, which can fire tank rounds and missiles. However, the Type 99/98 is also the most expensive tank in the Chinese inventory, and is therefore intended as a premium tank.

The main Chinese tank for the foreseeable future is the cheaper Type 96. This tank is essentially an evolution of the Type 85, the main Chinese tank of the 1980s. The 42-ton tank has steel armor, can be fitted with reactive plates, and is powered by a 1,000 hp diesel engine capable of speeds of 43 mph and a range of 280 miles. The main gun is the standard Soviet 125 mm smoothbore, China also retains a large number of older tanks (such as the aforementioned Type 85) in its inventory, but these are no longer in production and will be phased out of service.

India

The main battle tank of the Indian army is the Russian-designed T-90S, which is produced in India under license. Ironically, the Indian Army will soon deploy more of these Russian frontline tanks than the Russians themselves. The T-90 is a 46.5 ton tank that builds on the T-80 design, and comes with laminated, steel and composites armor and a 125 mm gun. The tank is powered by a 1,000 hp engine, and can be fitted with reactive armor plates.

The T-90 is backed up by the T-72. This is one of the most widely-used tanks in the world, and needs little comment. Its combat record is a sorry one as it is routinely destroyed with ease whenever it runs into Western military forces. However, India is committed to upgrading its fleet with packages designed by the Poles, Israelis, Russians, French and their own defense industry.

WINNER: INDIA

The Chinese Type 99/98 is unquestionably the best tank of all the armored vehicles examined here, but only because of one category: armor. In all other respects, the Type 99’s performance is not markedly different from the T-90S. It is not known if rounds from the 125 mm gun can defeat the Type 99’s armor, but if they can (which is likely), then the extra armor makes less difference in a China vs. India tank clash.

Also, the Type 99 is intended as a premium tank, ala the Nazi Panther or Tiger. The typical Chinese tank is the Type 96, while the T-90 is for all intents and purposes the main battle tank of the Indian Army. The T-90’s main enemy is therefore not the Type 99, but the Type 96, and the Indian T-90 is the equal or superior of the Type 96 in every way.

Sources:

indianarmy.nic.in

globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/type-96.htm

globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/type-96.htm