New Delhi: India’s second largest commercial vehicle maker and a Hinduja Group company Ashok Leyland, announced July 17 that it has won a significant order worth Rs 800 crore from the Indian armed forces. The contracts awarded include the procurement of the Field Artillery Tractor (FAT 4×4) and the Gun Towing Vehicle (GTV 6×6).
The contracts for making FAT 4×4 and GTV 6×6 specialised vehicles are notable as both these platforms were prominently featured in the initial positive indigenisation list announced by the government of India. These vehicles are employed by the Artillery for towing light and medium guns.
Shenu Agarwal, MD and CEO, Ashok Leyland commented, “The Defence business has been a strong pillar of growth for us, and this win further establishes our leadership in defence mobility vehicles business. This is also a testament to our firm commitment to providing advanced mobility solutions for our armed forces. We are grateful for the trust placed in Ashok Leyland by the government of India, and we remain dedicated to contributing to the country’s indigenisation efforts and self-reliance in defence manufacturing.”
“Ashok Leyland’s dependable mobility solutions have consistently remained a formidable asset within the defence sector, catering to the diverse needs of personnel and logistics across the armed forces. We are proud that we have been a leading example of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, by serving alongside our forces through our products and solutions,” said Amandeep Singh, President – Defence Business, Ashok Leyland.
He added, “Ashok Leyland has invested in development of mobility platforms ranging from 4×4, 6×6, 8×8, 10×10 & 12×12 for various applications and operational requirements of Indian Armed Forces. These platforms are indigenously designed, developed and manufactured by Ashok Leyland and contribute significantly towards import substitution. This win is even more special as it comes at a time when we mark another milestone and celebrate our 75th year anniversary in September this year.”
The order will be executed over the course of the next 12 months to meet the requirements of the Indian Army. As a prominent logistics partner to the Indian armed forces, Ashok Leyland supplied 782 completely built-up units (CBUs) in FY23. It also delivered 360 water bowsers in record time to the Indian Army. It has expanded into DGBR (Directorate-General Border Roads) with BAGH variants, and into the Indian Navy with HMV 4×4 (RIV – Rapid Intervention Vehicle).
