India’s MoD has signed a deal worth over $50 million for Russia’s Tunguska system.
The contract for Tunguska air-defence missile systems was signed with JSC Rosoboronexport in the presence of 🇮🇳 Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.
“These cutting-edge missiles will enhance India’s multilayered air defence capabilities against aerial threats, including aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles,” an official statement said.
The 2K22 Tunguska System
The 2K22 Tunguska missile- and cannon-armed air-defence tracked vehicle comprises two rapid-fire automatic guns, which practically do not have a minimum “dead” zone, and anti-aircraft guided missiles (SAMs).
The two twin-barrel 30 mm 2A38 autocannons have an effective range out to ~3–4 km. The system carries up to 8 × 9M311-series missiles (laser/radio command-guided, range up to 8–10 km on later M1 variants).
An integrated radar has a ~18 km detection range. An optical system facilitates jam-proof tracking of the target.
The tracked mobility vehicle has good cross-country performance and speeds up to ~65 km/h.
The Tunguska fills the gap between man-portable systems and longer-range SAMs.
The system is designated by NATO as SA-19 Grison.
The Tunguska system entered Soviet service in 1982 and remains in service in Russia and India.
The Tunguska-M (2K22M) and Tunguska-M1 variants feature improved missile performance and fire-control systems.
Indian Army Requirement
In the 2010s, under the Self-Propelled Air Defence Gun Missile System (SPAD-GMS) acquisition program, the Indian Army evaluated the Russian Tunguska, Pantsir, and the South Korean K30 Biho systems.
The Tunguska and Pantsir systems differ conceptually. While Tunguska provides an AD umbrella for troops on the move, the Pantsir is designed for vital area/vital point defence. However, the mobility of the Pantsir-SM-SV, which uses a tracked vehicle, blurs the operational distinction between the two systems.
The Indian Army's intent was to acquire 104 all-weather AD systems for an estimated $2.5 billion to protect advancing mechanised formations against low-altitude threats such as aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, cruise missiles, and precision-guided munitions. The SPAD-GMS was conceived as a replacement for obsolete towed systems like the Bofors L70 and ZU-23-2.
Army QRs sought a hybrid short-range air defence system (guns + surface-to-air missiles) mounted on tracked or wheeled self-propelled vehicles.
The procurement process ran aground due to Russian protests over the selection of the South Korean system.
In September 2020, the Ministry of Defence annulled the planned procurement from a foreign vendor and pushed for indigenous development.
In June 2021, the Defence Acquisition Council approved ₹6,000 crore (~$0.9 billion) for indigenous air defence guns and related systems.
A Request for Information (RFI) was issued in July 2023 for SPAD-GMS platforms (gun ≥30 mm calibre + missiles on armoured tracked/wheeled chassis).
DRDO has been exploring developing a system mounted on a light-tank chassis.
Conclusion
It is likely that the $50 million procurement from Russia is an interim arrangement to meet the immediate requirement of the Indian Army. The contract value suggests purchase of just 2-3 systems.
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