Home-grown auto major Tata Motors has joined hands with Bharat Forge and the US-based General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) to manufacture a combat vehicle for the Indian Army. The companies will bid for contracts under the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) programme.
Tata Motors will lead the consortium, with Pune-based Bharat Forge as a partner and GDLS providing expertise on combat vehicle platforms.
“Through this partnership we will be better positioned to help the country realise its ‘Make in India’ vision, for the first completely indigenised combat vehicle, at the same time cater to the opportunities available right here in India,” said Ravi Pisharody, Executive Director (Commercial Vehicles), Tata Motors.
FICVs are compact, tracked and amphibious and should not be heavier than 18-20 tonne, making it easily transportable to combat zones. The vehicle must fire anti-tank guided missiles to ranges beyond 4 km, with a capability to carry a crew of three and eight combat-kitted infantrymen.
To be developed under the ‘Make Category’, FICVs are high-mobility armoured battle vehicle for infantry being developed to replace Indian Army's fleet of 2610 Russian-designed BMP (Sarath BMP-II) series armed vehicles, that are in operations since 1980.
“Our partnership will constitute an important milestone, to help meet the government’s objectives to strengthen indigenous defence capabilities, and particularly in-land systems, with the FICV. Working with the country’s largest automotive manufacturer, will help us develop new directions for both companies and to address future requirements of the Indian Armed Forces,” said Baba N Kalyani, Chairman& Managing Director, Bharat Forge.
Tata Motors is a contender for the FICV programme, for which the Ministry had issued an expression of interest (EOI). Companies such as L&T, Tata Power (SED), Mahindra & Mahindra, Bharat Forge, Pipavav Defence, Rolta India, Punj Lloyd and Titagarh Wagons are also in the fray.
Tata Advanced Systems, Tata Advanced Materials, Tata Consultancy Services, TAL Manufacturing Solutions and Tata Technologies are the other companies involved in the Tata Motors-led FICV programme.