INDIA'S STRYKER CHOICE

India's selection of the US-made Stryker armored vehicle over the indigenous WhAP sparks debates on prioritiSing swift acquisitions and combat readiness versus commitment to self-

- India's selection of the US-made Stryker armored vehicle over the indigenous WhAP sparks debates on prioritiSing swift acquisitions and combat readiness versus commitment to self-reliance under ‘Make in India’

In order to meet a critical Indian Army need, India has opted for the US-origin Stryker armoured vehicle over the indigenously produced Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP)—a move seen as a dramatic departure from its commitment to the “Make in India” initiative.

For decades, the Russian-origin BMP-I and BMP-II Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV), license-produced locally, have been the backbone of the Indian Army. However, following the IndiaChina border stand-off in 2020, the service felt the urgent need to procure a new, state-of-the-art wheeled armoured vehicle that could stack up against China’s People Liberation Army (PLA) in potential combat.

While the Indian Army’s BMP-II ICVs were quickly deployed to dissuade the PLA during the crisis, they lacked key vital features that are considered necessary to withstand the enemy in modern combat, particularly at night.

When the border crisis hit in 2020, India had already had plans to replace its 2,000 BMP-IIs under the Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV), a program marred by inordinate delays. The border conflict, nevertheless, further exposed the lacuna in capability, setting into motion the upgrade of the BMPII ICV and acquisition of a new, more advanced armoured combat vehicle that would be used for operations across the deserts and plains of the western front, and on the Himalayan frontiers against China.

With an eye on a swift acquisition, the Army identified a key requirement: an 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicle with greater protection, improved targeting and precision, night-vision capability, improved communication, and upgraded armament. Shortly, media sources hinted that the Indian Army had begun its hunt for a new armoured combat vehicle, and the Indian Wheeled Armored Platform (WhAP) and the American Stryker were in the reckoning.

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