The Haider is a third-generation-plus main battle tank (MBT) manufactured by Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) in collaboration with the Chinese defence vendor NORINCO. It is a locally assembled variant of the Chinese VT4 tank, which was inducted by the Pakistan Army (PA) in 2020.
Initially, Pakistan procured 176 VT4 tanks from NORINCO under an $859 million contract signed in late 2018 or early 2019. Subsequently, HIT, Pakistan’s primary armoured vehicle manufacturer, began co-producing the Haider under license from NORINCO, aiming to progressively increase locally sourced inputs.
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Background on the HIT Haider Tank Program
The Pakistan Army (PA) evaluated the VT4 main battle tank (MBT) under the Haider MBT program, seeking an off-the-shelf solution to replace its aging tank force and serve as an interim measure while the domestic al-Khalid 2 program faced delays in its development.
In 2018, NORINCO reportedly announced that Pakistan had selected the VT4, though the formal contract signing was not immediately confirmed. Based on the timeline of events, Pakistan likely signed the procurement contract in late 2018 or by mid-2019. The deal involved 176 VT4 tanks under an $859 million contract.
The official public unveiling of the VT4 in PA service occurred on September 22, 2020, at the Field Firing Ranges near Jhelum. The VT4 then joined the al-Khalid Improved (al-Khalid-I) as a new addition to Pakistan’s Armoured Corps, with the latter having been inducted in August 2020.
HIT Haider MBT Specifications
General Dimensions
- Crew: 3
- Weight: 53 tons
- Length: 10.1 m (with gun forward)
- Width: 3.4 m
- Height: 2.4 m
Armament
- Main Gun: 125 mm smoothbore gun
- Ammunition: APFSDS, HE, HEAT, Guided Gun-Launched Missile
- Onboard Rounds: 38
- Coaxial Machine Gun: 7.62 mm
- Remote-Controlled Weapon Station: 12.7 mm heavy machine gun
Mobility
- Engine: 1,200 hp turbocharged diesel engine
- Power-to-Weight Ratio: 22.64 hp/ton
- Cruising Range: 300-350 km (or 400-450 km with additional fuel barrel)
Indigenization Drive
The first locally manufactured Haider MBT was rolled out on March 6, 2025, as part of a pilot project to start localizing the VT4 tank and, potentially, design and build a custom Pakistani variant.
HIT’s Advanced Research Development and Information Center (ARDIC) has been instrumental in localizing key components of the Haider, including:
- Complete gun system production, including barrel, breech mechanism, and elevation mechanism.
- Welding of turret and chassis (currently with the use of Chinese steel and composite materials).
- Indigenization of electronic subsystems including fire control systems (FCS) and gun control systems (GCS).
- Development of track parts and shock absorber components.
At the International Defence Exhibition and Seminar in November 2024 in Karachi, HIT revealed that 39% of the Haider MBT was indigenously sourced, with the gun system involving the highest proportion of domestic inputs at 97%.
HIT is developing other subsystems that may make their way to the Haider MBT, such as an active protection system (APS) and remote-controlled weapon stations (RCWS), among others. One would imagine that indigenous composite armour is also on HIT’s future development roadmap as it is a key technology input.
Future Procurement Plans
Currently, the PA is planning to procure 679 VT4 and Haider tanks. It is unclear if it will order additional Haider MBTs, but follow-on procurement is possible given that the PA is investing in localizing the system.
In fact, with the emergence of the Haider, the PA’s other major MBT program, the al-Khalid 2, has fallen from focus. It is unclear if the PA is still committed to buying any future variant of the al Khalid-series. Therefore, it is plausible that Pakistan is planning for a heavily localized Haider to serve as its future mainstay MBT.
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