India Gears Up To Meet Armored Vehicle Demand

(Aviationweek) : The Indian Ordnance Factories board has begun augmentation projects to meet the increasing demand for armored vehicles, spare parts and other equipment for the armed forces.
“Augmentation projects worth about 10 billion rupees ($224 million) [for] mine-protected vehicles, armored vehicle engines, T-72 tank variants [and] spares for T-72 overhauls are being executed,” a defense ministry official says.
In addition, projects for the Pinaka rocket, high caliber weapon systems, T-90 tanks, BMP-2 infantry combat vehicles and Arjun main battle tanks worth about 60 billion rupees are in the pipeline, the official says.
A senior Indian Ordnance Factories official says that the group has been enhancing production capacity and inducting state-of-the art technology. “During the last couple of years, indigenous production of T-90 tanks has started, and production of BMP-2 has resumed after a gap of seven years,” the official says.
Regular production of Arjun tanks, T-90 tanks, BMP-2 vehicles, Pinaka rockets, mine-protected vehicles for the army and 105-mm Light Field Guns has commenced, he adds.
“There has been a 30% increase in production of various types of ammunition during the last financial year [which ended March 31],” he says.
Indian Ordnance Factories is India’s oldest and largest industrial establishment. Functioning under the defense ministry, it has prepared a comprehensive plan for modernizing its facilities with state-of-the art technology during the next five years for an investment of 150 billion rupees.
The modernization plans include an online quality management system and hiring of about 8,000 skilled personnel.