DRDO chief is hopeful about upgraded Arjun Mk-II Tank getting accepted by Army

The chairman of defence research and development organisation (DRDO), S Christopher, sounded hopeful on Sunday about the Indian Army accepting the Arjun Mark-II tank after certain modifications recommended by the army were incorporated. Speaking on the sidelines of a function at the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT), Christopher told TOI, "We have carried out certain modifications as recommended by the army. The tank will go through trials and there is every possibility that it will be accepted considering that the army has already agreed to induct the tank in two regiments." The DRDO chief was on a visit to DIAT — a deemed university under the defence ministry — for the inauguration of the 21st batch of Post Induction Training School (POINTS), a programme for newly inducted DRDO scientists. He also held a meeting with senior scientists. The army had recommended nearly 71 modifications to the tank and had asked the DRDO to redesign the hull and the turret structures and use new materials in order to reduce the weight. The weight of the Mark-I is 62 tonne while Arjun Mark-II is 68 tonne. A senior army officer from the armoured corps, told TOI on Sunday, "The army has a major issue with the weight of Mark-II as it will not meet its operational requirements in the western sectors where the tank will be deployed in future. During the past trials, it had come to our notice that the tank is heavier than the existing culvert, thereby, making mobility a major issue. It was, therefore, paramount to recommend a reduction in weight of the tank from an operational point of view." A senior DRDO scientist closely associated with the project said, "The army had specified their operational requirement on three aspects — weight, missile firing capability and ammunition. We have addressed these issues. Besides, we have kept the agility and mobility of the tank at par with the existing one. We are confident that the tank will meet the army's requirements in the trials." The army has about 3,500 tanks mostly comprising the old T-72 and the improvised T-90 tanks.