Article Posted on : - Apr 13, 2022

A file photo.

PUNE (PTI): Chief of Army Staff General M M Naravane on Tuesday inducted indigenously developed specialist vehicles into the Army at a function organised at the Bombay Engineer Group (BEG) and Centre here.

A defence release said the Army Chief inducted the first set of indigenously developed Quick Reaction Fighting Vehicle Medium (QRFV), Infantry Protected Mobility Vehicle (IPMV), Ultra Long Range Observation System developed by Tata Advanced System Limited (TASL) and Monocoque Hull Multi-Role Mine-Protected Armoured Vehicle developed by Bharat Forge.

General Naravane appreciated Tata and Bharat Forge for their commitment to strengthening the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' initiative of the Union government as well as for continued engagement with the Army for the past decades.

The induction of these indigenously developed systems by TASL and Bharat Forge would greatly enhance the operational capabilities of the Army in future conflicts, he said at the function, which was attended by a number of retired and serving dignitaries.

In a release issued during the day, Tata Advanced System Limited said with this milestone, it had become the first private sector company in India to produce and deliver wheeled armoured combat-ready vehicles for the Armed Forces.

In addition to supply, TASL will also provide 24x7 support to maintain the vehicles at the deployment locations. The IPMV is a co-development project with Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO).

Sukaran Singh, TASL managing director and chief executive officer, said the successful delivery of IPMVs is a major milestone for his firm and the Indian defence manufacturing sector as it marks the first commercial sale of a strategic platform that has been co-developed by DRDO and a private player.

"TASL has achieved this milestone after withstanding the challenges and delays caused by the pandemic, which makes the achievement even more remarkable for us," Singh said.

The IPMVs, developed and manufactured at TASL's Pune facility, have been built on the strategic 8x8 Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) indigenously designed and developed by TASL along with the Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (VRDE), a unit of DRDO.

The vehicles have undergone stringent field trials in deserts as well as high altitude areas by the Indian Army.

The IPMVs also include TASL's in-house designed and developed Remote Controlled Weapon Station with thermal sights and external add-on armour protection panels developed by the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory of DRDO, the firm said in its release.