India’s Arjun Tanks To Get Parts Prototypes Ahead of Schedule

India’s Arjun main battle tank will reportedly receive the first prototypes of the hull and turret by the manufacturer Reliance Infra, six months ahead of schedule, according to The Hindu report.

“We are ready to deliver the hull and turret for the Arjun Mark II MBT six months ahead of schedule,” a Reliance spokesperson told BusinessLine. “This is amongst the first such projects to be awarded to the private sector in India, with the longer-term objective of creating alternative capacities and capabilities”.

RInfra had won the contract from Combat Vehicle Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE) to manufacture the prototypes through a competitive bidding process in 2017. 

Without disclosing the details and size of the CVRDE order bagged by RInfra, sources were quoted as saying that the company is targeting an overall opportunity of ₹2,500 crore once mass production starts.

The Defence Acquisition Council gave the green signal for the ₹6,600-crore procurement of 118 Arjun Mark II MBTs to equip two regiments back in 2014, in addition to an earlier order for 124 Arjun Mark I tanks.

The Mark II version developed by the CVRDE was based on the Army’s recommendations following comparative trials of the Arjun Mark I and Russia’s T-90.