War Thunder’s Arjun Mk 1 Will Bring India’s Main Battle Tank to Great Britain’s Rank VII Tree
The upcoming vehicle will pair a 120 mm rifled cannon and thermal sight with a 70 km/h top speed, although its final characteristics can still change.
War Thunder will add India’s Arjun Mk 1 main battle tank to Great Britain’s Rank VII ground forces tree with the game’s next major update. The vehicle is built around strong mobility, a 120 mm rifled cannon, and a lineup of ammunition that should give British tankers another option alongside the Challenger 1.
Gaijin Entertainment introduced the upcoming tank in its Steam announcement. No arrival date was provided, and the Arjun Mk 1’s characteristics may still change before it reaches the game.
Arjun Mk 1 brings speed and firepower to Britain
The Arjun Mk 1 will use a 120 mm rifled gun with two APFSDS rounds, a SAP round, and HESH ammunition. Gaijin also highlighted the tank’s 120 mm PCB, or Penetration-Cum-Blast, round. A gunner thermal sight and laser rangefinder will support long-range engagements, giving the vehicle the tools to identify and hit targets before closing the distance.
Mobility is the tank’s clearest advantage in the British tree. The Arjun Mk 1 will reach a top speed of 70 km/h, which is faster than the Challenger 1 tanks. That speed should help it reach capture points, take better firing positions, and relocate after an engagement. The vehicle is intended for 10.7 Ground Realistic Battles lineups.
Protection will not be an afterthought, either. The turret makes extensive use of armor steel, while the sloped roof is covered by composite armor. The preview describes its protection as good for the class, though the tank’s best results should come from combining that protection with movement rather than sitting in one position and trading shots.
In the British research tree, the Arjun Mk 1 will join the export and foreign main battle tank line after the Vickers Mk.7 and before the Australian M1A2. Its placement gives the line a faster companion for the Challenger 1 tanks, which is useful for players who want more flexibility at the top ranks without leaving the British ground forces tree.
India’s Arjun program took decades to reach service
India began outlining requirements for a domestically designed tank in 1972, and the CVRDE research institute started development in 1974. The first prototype appeared in 1984, followed by a pre-production batch of 10 Mark I vehicles by the end of 1987. Technical problems and India’s decision to adopt the Russian T-90S delayed full-scale production until 2003.
The first five Arjun Mk 1 tanks entered service in 2004. Two armored regiments had formed by 2009, and 124 tanks had been delivered by mid-2012. India began a modernization program toward the Arjun Mk II standard in 2010, while the Arjun Mk 1A appeared in 2018. The Ministry of Defence ordered 118 Arjun Mk 1A tanks in 2021.
The tank’s name comes from Arjuna, one of the heroes of the Mahabharata epic. In War Thunder, that heritage will arrive as a fast British Rank VII option with serious gun power and a role that can fill one of the tree’s mobility gaps. Share your thoughts on the Arjun Mk 1 in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
War Thunder
Developed by Gaijin Entertainment
War Thunder is a free-to-play vehicular combat MMO featuring aircraft, ground vehicles, and naval craft spanning from the early 20th century to the modern era. Players progress through technology trees across multiple nations, unlocking increasingly advanced military vehicles. The game offers three realism tiers for each vehicle type: arcade, realistic, and simulator modes. Originally developed as a flight simulator under the name "World of Planes," the game expanded to include tanks in 2014 and naval forces later, becoming a combined-arms experience. A mobile version was released in 2023.
- Genre Shooter, Simulator, Tactical
- Platforms Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Mac, Xbox One
- Perspective First person, Third person, Virtual Reality
- Modes Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative, Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO)
- Release January 28, 2013
- Publisher Gaijin Entertainment
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