Bangladesh Army receives more Type 15 tanks from China: Why the PLA's lightweight VT-5s excel at mountain warfare

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party's close ties with the United States and the West are expected to bring changes to Sino-Bangladesh defence ties. However, Tarique Rahman's rise has not stopped Beijing from proceeding with the rearmament of the Bangladeshi military, as the delivery of a new batch of Type 15 lightweight battle tanks shows.

Earlier in 2025, China had reportedly equipped a regiment of the Bangladesh Army with 44 Type 15 tanks, which are also called VT-5s. The second batch of the lightweight tanks—best equipped for deployment along mountainous terrain—has now been delivered amidst the political changes in Dhaka, a report said. Bangladesh had also bought SY-400 tactical ballistic missiles from China and was considering placing orders for Chinese jets as well.

In August 2025, the People's Liberation Army's VT-4 main battle tanks appeared in Bangladesh Army camouflage, a report said. This had raised doubts regarding whether the South Asian country had also signed an agreement for the bigger tanks alongside the VT-5s. The Type 15 and VT-4 are said to be Bangladesh's modern alternatives to replace its ageing Type 59 tanks. These were produced in China during the Cold War as enhanced derivatives of the Soviet T-55 design, Military Watch Magazine said in a report.

What are Chinese Type 15 tanks?

Designed and manufactured by the Chinese defence company NORINCO (China North Industries Corporation), the Type 15 tank weighs less than 35 tonnes and has a 105mm main gun. Their speciality is an advanced hydropneumatic suspension system which dynamically adjusts ground clearance. This is the factor that makes them effective on rocky terrains, as manoeuvrability becomes easier, Military Watch Magazine said.

Its main gun reportedly has a maximum firing range of 3,000m, and its armament comes with an automatic loading system. The empty cartridge cases are ejected via a small hatch located at the rear of the turret. The roof is armed with a 12.7mm machine gun and one 40mm automatic grenade launcher; it can move at a maximum road speed of 70 km/h and 35 to 40 km/h in off-road conditions, with a maximum cruising range of 450 km.

For the PLA, the Type 15 tank—which reportedly made its debut to the general public during China’s National Day military parade in 2019—is said to be the solution to any conflict with India in the high-altitude regions of Ladakh, Sikkim, and even Arunachal Pradesh. Type 15 tanks have been deployed in the plateau areas of Tibet, and recent images on the internet showed them being used with additional cage armour—a common effort that is becoming standard to fend off drone swarms.