Indian Armor TOEs

v.1.0 October 17, 2008

 

Ravi Rikhye

 

Light Armored Regiment 1965

 

7 Cavalry          PT-76 (2 (I) Armored Brigade)

8 Cavalry          AMX-13 (2 (I) Armored Brigade)

20 Lancers        AMX-13 (10 Infantry Division)

63 Cavalry        PT-76 (Eastern Command)

 

RHQ

            2 tanks

 

HQ squadron

           

            Mortar Troop

            Pioneer Troop

 

3 x Squadrons

 

            2 tanks HQ

            3 x tank troops with 3 tanks each

            2 x Rifle Troops

 

Total: 35 tanks

 

Light Independent Armored Squadron (as Light Armored Squadron above, 11 light tanks)

 

Independent Armored Squadrons 1971

These were reconnaissance squadrons and each had 18 tanks.

 

Ind Sqdn

Affiliation

Assigned To

Equipment

90

17 Horse

16 Armd Bde

 

91

14 Horse

2 Armd Bde

 

92

18 Cavalry

14 Armd Bde

 

93

 

1 Armd Div

 

1

7 Cavalry

Corps

PT-76

2

21 Cavalry

Corps

AMX-13

3

1 Horse

Corps

T-55

4

9 Horse

Corps

Sherman upgunned

5

63 Cavalry

Corps

PT-76/Ferret

6

 

 

 

 

In 1972, 3, 4, and 5 Independent Armored Squadrons were formed into 75 Armored Regiment.

 

 

Armored Regiment 1965

490 personnel

 

RHQ

 

            3 tanks

            Reconnaissance Troop 9 light tanks

 

3 x Tank Squadrons each

 

            HQ       2 tanks

                        1 dozer tank

                        1 ARV

           

4 x Tank Troops each with 3 tanks

 

Total:    45 medium tanks

              9 light tanks

 

At the time a regiment was authorized 27 additional medium tanks as attrition/maintenance reserve. The figure was nominal insofar as only 250 Centurions (62 per regiment) were purchased for the Armored Division.

 

By 1988, the allotment was 62 tanks per regiment, but T-72 regiments had only 55.

 

2nd Independent Armored Brigade

                       

The brigade had two light tank regiments and a motorized battalion. 3rd Cavalry (Centurions) was sent as reinforcement. 9th Horse (Shermans), the divisional tank regiment of 4 Mountain Division, was under command during the Battle of Khem Karan.

 

1st Armored Division 1965

 

HQ

Divisional armored regiment (Sherman)

1st Artillery Brigade (2 field, 1 medium regiments)

1st Armored Brigade (4 Centurion regiments, 1 motorized infantry battalion)

43rd Lorry Brigade (3 motorized battalions plus 1 Sherman regiment as reinforcement)

 

Armored Divisions 2000

 

HQ

Reconnaissance & Support Battalion

            HQ Companies

            3 R & S Companies

Field Artillery Brigade

            4 x 155mm towed regiments

            1 x Medium MLRS Battery

            1 SATA Battery

Air Defense Artillery Brigade

            1 x area defense medium SP SAM regiment

            1 x light SP regiment (SA-13 and SA-16)

            1 x Tunguska Gun/Missile SP regiment

Engineer Regiment

ASC Battalion

EME Battalion

Signals Regiment

Provost Unit (Military Police)

Tank Transporter Companies

Aviation Platoon

 

3 Brigade HQs with

            5 armored regiments (authorization = 6)

            4 mechanized infantry battalions

 

 RAPID (Reorganized Army Plains Infantry Division)

HQ

Reconnaissance & Support Battalion

            HQ Companies

            3 R & S Companies

Field Artillery Brigade

            4 x 155mm towed regiments

            1 x Medium MLRS Battery

            1 SATA Battery

Engineer Regiment

ASC Battalion

EME Battalion

Signals Regiment

Provost Unit (Military Police)

Aviation Platoon

 

1 x Armored Brigade HQ

Brigade Signal Company

2 armored regiments

2 mechanized infantry battalions

2 x Infantry Brigade HQ

            Brigade Signal Company

            3 infantry battalions

 

 

 

 

Armored Infantry Battalion 1971

35 wheeled APC (each 4 crew and 18 soldiers)

850 personnel

 

HQ                   3 APC

Aid Post           2 APC

Mortars            6 APC

 

3 x Rifle Coy, each

            HQ                   1 APC

            3 Rifle Platoons (each with 2 APC)

 

APC Battalions 1971 (Topaz APC)

 

1 Dogras

1/8 Gurkhas

5 Maratha Light Infantry

7 Punjab

7 Grenadiers

9 Punjabi

18 Rajputana Rifles

 

Armored Regiment 1974

Tanks as in 1965; the Regimental reconnaissance troop was now equipped with 9 jeeps

 

Soft Vehicles

 

RHQ and Regimental HQ Squadron

            38 x 3-ton

            14 x 1-ton

            28 x jeep

            8 motorcycle

 

Tank Squadron Echelons

            F

            A1

            A2

            B

 

F Echelon (14 tanks)

           

A1Echelon (5 x 3-ton)

            4 ammunition

            1 POL

 

A2 Echelon (3 x 3-ton)

2 ammunition    

1 POL

 

B Echelon (2 x 3-ton)

            1 heavy baggage

            1 mess

           

 

(A1/A2 Echelons carried ammunition/POL for 24 hours combat.)

 

 

BMP Mechanized Infantry Battalion 1984

58 BMP

1050 personnel

 

HQ                   3 BMP

Signals              3 BMP

Pioneers           2 BMP

Aid Post           2 BMP

Mortars                        6 BMP

 

3 x Rifle companies

 

Coy HQ                                    2 BMP

3 x Rifle Platoon

            HQ                               1 BMP

            3 x Rifle sections           3 BMP (total)

 

 

Cost

 

~1968 the following costs were associated with equipping new formations; for annual maintenance/recurring costs, use 35% of new cost.

 

One crore rupees was, at the time, US$1.33 million. The exchange rate was US$1 to INR 7.50.

 

Armored Division                      Rs 115 crores

Infantry Division                        Rs 29 crores

Mountain Division                      Rs 20 crores

Independent Armored Brigade   Rs 60 crores

Independent Infantry Brigade     Rs 5 crores

Air Defense Brigade                 Rs 20 crores