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Sunday, Aug 08, 2004

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Arjun induction: move to support indigenisation process

By Our Special Correspondent

The Main Battle Tank Arjun rolled out of the Heavy Vehicles Factory in Avadi on Saturday. - Photo: Bijoy Ghosh

CHENNAI, AUG. 7. More than three decades after it was conceived and a decade after the initial user trials were conducted, the first batch of five indigenously produced main battle tank (MBT), Arjun, was inducted into the Army at a function at the Heavy Vehicles Factory, Avadi, near here today.

The Defence Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, handed over the inspection, issue documents and key of the tanks to the Chief of the Army Staff, N.C. Vij, to mark the occasion. Gen. Vij handed the keys to the Commanding Officer, 43rd Regiment — the first regiment to have the Indian MBTs.

"Weapons systems of this kind take a generation to build," said M. Natarajan, scientist, who has been associated with the project from its initial days.

'A step forward'

Despite the delays, with the rolling out of Arjun, India joins a select group of nations capable of designing and developing such a complex weapon system. "It is a significant step forward in the quest of building a self-reliant and self-sufficient India in defence preparedness," said the Union Minister of State for Defence, B.K. Handique.

The 58.5-tonne tank was designed and developed by the Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment, Avadi, in association with Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO) resources around the country. The tanks have about 50 per cent imported components. The Army wants this percentage cut to at least 20, a figure that the DRDO too aims to achieve.

Another 10 Arjun tanks are expected to roll out of the HVF by March 2005. This will enable the Army to extensively test the tanks under combat conditions. "Only when the Army has a squadron of tanks can it conduct the exploitative trials in a meaningful manner," said V.K. Aatre, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister.

Defence preparedness

Mr. Mukherjee said that initially he was apprehensive of appearing on stage with the Army Chief at a time when talks with Pakistan had just begun. "The rolling out of Main Battle Tanks just a day after we have successfully negotiated [a] peace dialogue with Pakistan on Siachen" could "convey some different signals." But he decided to go ahead since this was the country showcasing its capabilities in science and technology and management.

"The best time for defence preparedness is the time of peace, not the time of war," he added. India did not have any designs to annex any territory but would not allow "anybody else" to take away even "one millimetre" of India's territory.

Upgradation

Gen. Vij said that though Arjun cost more than T-90 S, the Army would continue to buy the Indian MBT to support the process of indigenisation. Now, though a few battalions of the Armoured Corps have the imported T-90 S, a large part of the Indian armour consists of the ageing T-55 and T-72 tanks, which need quick upgradation. The Armoured Corps needed newer versions to keep abreast of the challenges posed by Pakistan acquiring T-80 tanks from Ukraine. The Army considered the options before it and will now go in for MBT, Arjun, and the Russian-origin T-90 S. The Army had placed orders for 124 Arjun tanks in 2000. With the Medak Ordnance Factory (Andhra Pradesh) too being roped in, the ordnance factory bosses hope to keep the 2007 delivery schedule. "We look forward to receiving them at a much, much faster pace than what is visualised right now," the Army Chief said. He put the number of Arjun tanks that should be produced every year at 50. "That is what our dream is."

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