This article looks at 5 countries with the most battle tanks in Asia. You can read our detailed analysis on the some of the best tanks in the world in modern times by heading over to the 15 Countries with the Most Battle Tanks in Asia.
5. Syria
Tanks: 2,720
Syria had close to 5,000 battle tanks in 2008 before the Civil War that ravaged the country. During the conflict, the Syrian armed forces suffered heavy losses, which included an estimated 2,000 tanks getting destroyed. Most of Syria’s combat vehicles are of Soviet and Chinese origin. The 2,720 tanks currently in Damascus’ arsenal mainly comprise the Type-55, Type-62, and Type-72 versions.
4. Pakistan
Tanks: 3,742
Pakistan’s fleet of battle tanks is divided into 50 armored regiments. About 1,100 of these are the second-generation Al-Zarrar main battle tanks based on China’s T-59 MBT. The country also operates 350 Al-Khalid tanks, which it co-built with China. There are reports of Islamabad and Beijing currently working on manufacturing an upgraded version of the tank called the Al-Khalid III. Another major tank in Pakistan’s arsenal is the Type-69 II; it has 400 of these, which are based on Chinese designs but were license-built in Pakistan. According to a report by SIPRI, Pakistan also entered into a contract with China in 2022 to purchase 679 VT4 battle tanks. The monetary value of the deal is not known.
3. India
Tanks: 4,614
India has the second-largest standing army in the world after China, and it is no surprise that it is among the countries with the most battle tanks in Asia. Some notable tanks used by the Indian Army include ARJUN MBT, Vijayanta, T-72 Ajeya, T-90 BHISHMA, and K-9 Vajra. Most of the country’s tanks are of Russian origin, and the tally is set to grow further after New Delhi and Moscow signed a $2.8 billion in 2019 for India’s procurement of 464 T-90MS from Russia. India also purchased 310 T-90 main battle tanks from Russia in 2001.
2. China
Tanks: 5,000
China has the second-largest fleet of battle tanks in Asia, comprising a mix of modern and older combat vehicles. The Black Panther, manufactured by Norinco, is a third-generation Type-15 tank and is among the latest tanks operated by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). It is a successor of the Type-62 tank, which retired in 2013, and has a top speed of 70 kilometers per hour and an operational range of 469 kilometers. Another prominent battle tank in the operation of the PLA is the Type-99. Over the last two decades, around 1,200 Type-99 tanks have been manufactured by Beijing, which made these third-generation tanks a critical component of the country’s ground forces strength.
1. North Korea
Tanks: 5,845
North Korea has the most battle tanks in Asia, with an estimated fleet size of 5,845 tanks. The majority of these tanks are aging and in bad shape, despite efforts by the government in Pyongyang to upgrade the fleet. Most of North Korea’s tanks are of Chinese and Soviet origin, such as the Type-34, Type-54, and Type-59. Having said that, analysts believe that although these tanks are outdated, Kim Jong Un’s regime has enough of them to pose a real threat in the eventuality of a conflict. Moreover, the country has also developed some indigenous tanks domestically; these include Pokpung-ho and Chonma-ho.
If you wish to read about countries in Asia that have a large fleet of battle tanks, you may go over to the 15 Countries with the Most Battle Tanks in Asia. At Insider Monkey, we delve into a variety of topics, ranging from the best online ESL courses to business aspects; however, our expertise lies in identifying the top-performing stocks. Currently, Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology stands out as one of the most promising fields. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than NVDA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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