India will begin production of an upgraded version of the indigenous Arjun Main Battle Tank (MBT) by early 2014, an official said here Monday.
The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) is already readying the Mark-II version of the Arjun for its first summer and winter trials this year. Among the upgrades, the Mark-II tank would feature an indigenous engine that would replace the existing German engines of the 58-tonne Arjun Mark-I. The developments come within a year of the government sanctioning the Arjun Mark-II project last May.
“In 24 months from now or early 2014, the Arjun Mark-II tanks will be ready for production,” the DRDO official said.
The army has already ordered 248 Arjun Mark-I tanks for induction into its armored regiments. The first lot of 124 tanks, for which the orders were placed on the Avadi-based Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) in 2004 at a cost of Rs.170 million ($4 million) each, have been handed over to the army.
