About the Occasional Paper

This Occasional Paper examines whether the Ukraine war signals the end of the tank or merely exposes flawed tactics and inadequate protection. Drawing on battlefield evidence—from Russian tank losses, Javelin and NLAW top-attack missiles, loitering munitions and drones—the authors analyse how emerging anti-tank systems, active protection suites such as Shtora, Trophy and Arena, and evolving combined-arms doctrine are reshaping armoured warfare. They argue that Russian setbacks stem more from poor training, logistics and misuse of armour than from any inherent obsolescence of the tank. Despite vulnerabilities, tanks remain indispensable as mobile, protected firepower at the core of mechanised forces, especially when employed as part of an integrated, multi-domain team. For India, facing substantial Chinese and Pakistani armoured inventories, the paper concludes that heavy armour will endure but must adapt through better protection, doctrine, and joint employment rather than force reduction. It underscores urgent imperatives for Indian modernisation, R&D and realistic training.