BEML to supply high-mobility vehicles to Indian Army

BEML, a public sector undertaking, has secured orders from the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) to supply high-mobility vehicles to the Indian Army.

The orders have a combined value of Rs7.58bn ($103.75m).

In a regulatory filing, the company said that high mobility vehicles will support logistics management and will enable transporting armoured fighting vehicles, troops, ammunition and stores through rough and difficult terrain to remote operating regions.

BEML will manufacture the equipment at its Palakkad Plant in Kerala and will supply the vehicles to the Indian Army within a period of one year.

Notably, the order comes as the armed forces of India and China have been engaged in a military standoff in the Ladakh region since May. The face-off flared up in June with both sides incurring casualties.

The two military forces have conducted several rounds of meetings to disengage from the disputed border.

However, India had ramped up defence spending following the standoff to procure and upgrade military equipment.

Recently, it was reported that the Indian Army has initiated the process to procure 118 Arjun Mk-1A Main Battle Tanks (MBT) for nearly Rs89.57bn ($1.22bn). The Arjun Mk-1A features several major upgrades over the earlier Mk1 variant.

Last month, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also handed over an all-weather electronic surveillance system called Border Surveillance System (BOSS) to the Indian Army.