Article Posted on : - Oct 31, 2009

Mine Protected Vehicle Handded Over to Army by Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju at Ordinence Factory in Hyderabad on Friday. Image Credit: PTI.

HYDERABAD (PTI): Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju has outlined the need to make the Armed forces self-reliant to meet the challenges on the internal and external security front.

Speaking after releasing the first batch of improved Army Version of 14 Mine Protected Vehicles at Ordnance Factory, Medak, near here on Friday, Raju said efforts should be made to modernise technology for defence purposes.

Expressing happiness over the production of strong vehicles, he said the Armed forces are in acute need of such Mine Protected Vehicles capable to meet the challenges of insurgency and terrorism across the country.

The minister assured all necessary assistance from the Centre for improving capacity building and upgrading the quality and technology of the factory.

R S Sodhi, general manager of Medak Ordnance Factory, said Mine Protected Vehicle Army version is christened as 'Yukthirath'.

Prototype Mine Protected Vehicle has been tested for manoeuvrability, high mobility through shallow water obstacles by conducting trial runs at a height of 15,000 ft, traversing along the mountain road, covering 180 km of continuous run and mine blast trials, an official release said.

Army Headquarters has placed an indent on Ordnance Factory Board, Kolkata, for 327 vehicles to induct into the Army, the release added.