In a landmark moment for India’s private sector defence industry, Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) has handed over the first batch of Infantry Protected Mobility Vehicles (IPMV) to the Indian Army.
The advanced 8x8 IPMVs were handed over to the army in Pune in the presence of Army Chief, General MM Naravane.
“The successful delivery of IPMVs is a major milestone for TASL and the Indian defence manufacturing sector as it marks the first commercial sale of a strategic platform that has been codeveloped by DRDO and a private player. TASL has achieved this milestone after withstanding the challenges and delays caused by the pandemic, which makes the achievement even more remarkable for us,” said Sukaran Singh, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, TASL.
TASL is India’s first private sector company to produce and deliver wheeled armoured combat-ready vehicles to the army. The army will deploy the new infantry vehicles in high-altitude areas.
The IPMV is a co-development project with Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and is based on the 8x8 Wheeled Armoured Platform (WhAP) indigenously designed and developed by TASL along with the Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (VRDE), a unit of DRDO.
TASL has also been contracted by the army to provide 24x7 support to maintain the vehicles at the deployment locations.
The IPMVs also include TASL’s in-house designed and developed Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS) with thermal sights and external add-on armour protection panels developed by the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory of DRDO.
TASL is manufacturing the IPMV at its Pune facility, and the vehicles have undergone stringent field trials in deserts and high altitude areas by the Indian Army. TASL had announced that successful trials with the vehicle had taken place in January.
The IPMV is India’s first indigenously developed Amphibious Wheeled Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV) and features a modular design that can accommodate an engine generating 600bhp, featuring an independent hydropneumatic suspension. It can attain a speed of 80kmph on land and 8kmph on water.
A wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Sons, TASL is a leading private sector player in India in Aerospace and Defence, focusing on Aerostructures, Defence, Homeland Security, and Disaster Management.