I think it is not the right question, T-90 have it's strong sides, but there are other alternatives. For example Ukrainian T-84M "Oplot"/BM "Oplot" weighting 51 tons, and it is better protected than T-90. And there are other alternatives, like Leopard 2, Leclerc, or M1 series, from lighter vehicles, there are different Russiand and Ukrainian modernizations of their older tanks that are below 50 tons, still well protected like T-64BM "Bulat", T-72MP, T-72S, T-72B and T-72B1 as well as their modifications.
There is plenty of different tanks avaiable on the market, and their overal capabilities are comparable, on very similiar level, despite differences in their design and their detailed characteristics.
On the other hand, why Indian T-90S do not have APU? I thought it was a standard for T-90S?
The indian T-90s import order was signed with out many important items included in the original contract , so that price of the T-90s were made to look so cheap.
The trials of T-90 was conducted in russia in the cold climate for which T-90 was optimized with it's electronics and 1000 hp engine opposed to the accepted international standard practice of conducting used trials in india's rajasthan and punjub.
If the trials are conducted in the summer in rajasthan the tank would have been rejected outright as inferior stuff because according to open source info the T-90 has the following problems
1.The supposed to be 1000 hp cold climate engine is giving out only 800 hp in boiling rajasthan desert so it is very under powered hindering it's mobility,
2.It's thermal vision and electronics malfunction in the indian summer,army is looking for outside help for this.
3.Due to the cramped space and poor ventilation a jawan fainted with heat stroke in summer trial it self.
4.There is no way you can fix the heat issue as there is no place to put the airconditioner as it is already packed, for this also army is seeking outside help.
5.Exposed ammunition on the turret floor is dangerous for the tank even in case of a land mine explosion.This lack of compartmentalization of ammo without any blow off panels alone would have been a cause of rejection .
6.And the lower powered APU wont support the future needs for power hungry network centric applications on the tank so critical in tactical battle management scene.
7.last but not the least the ground pressure exerted by the so called light weight MBT T-90 is more than that of the arjun according to open source info meaning that T-90 will have more problems negotiating the in loose soiled terrain than ARJUN which has the lowest ground pressure per square inch among all the modern MBTs.
8.Even the russian army hasnt bought as many T-90s while having a much older tank fleet begging replacements,they are going on future MBT types then what are the chances of long term upgradation support for this tank which is not present in 1000s even in it's home country.
The idea of importing more foreign stuff is stupid as after decades of work and expert help from Israelis the arjun which was designed with indain GSQR in mind with out any defects of the T-90s mentioned above is already there.
And now india faces no sanctions after the nuclear deal s we can get all the expert help from outside world for designing future ammo for the tank.
Thats why the black listing of IMI is the worst move by MOD completely ignoring india's strategic interests in future as the firm is so instrumental in giving expert help in solving the niggling issues in arjun.How people do this with short sightedness is incredible as it is the only firm in the world adopting unfair practice in indian arms contract.
Then how can we approve the purchase of T-90 whose trials were conducted in russia and whose sub systems were not optimized for india?
