India seeks 2150 High Mobility Vehicles for use along China, Pakistan borders
By Anish Kumar | First Published Aug 10, 2023, 4:52 PM ISTDivided into two categories, these HMVs are expected to replace older vehicles, enabling better performance in challenging terrains. These HMVs will be essential for transporting heavy equipment and ammunition, ensuring efficiency in challenging terrains.
In a bid to enhance its operational capability against adversaries, the government has issued two requests for information (RFI) for the procurement of 2150 high mobility vehicles (HMVs) for the Indian Army to be deployed along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. These vehicles should be able to carry a payload of not less than 8000 kg.
According to the first RFI, the defence ministry will procure 650 HMVs 6x6 with a material handling crane. The second RFI was issued to buy about 1500 HMVs 6x6 general service. Sources in the Army told Asianet Newsable said that these vehicles will replace the older vehicles gradually.
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“The requirement is such that these vehicles should be able to negotiate the mountain roads which are narrow and have sharp turns,” sources said, adding, "The material handling crane is meant to assist in loading payloads to the systems like artillery guns."
The RFI stated that the vehicles of both categories will be used for "transportation of heavy equipment, stores including ammunition on metallic roads and tracks (Desert tracks, unmetalled road or Kachha tracks)."
“The vehicle should be provided with 6x6 drive and be capable of operating as a High Mobility load carrier with a payload capacity of not less than 8000 Kg in cross-country terrain,” sources said.
It further said that these vehicles should facilitate modification for other uses including troop carriage, carriage of containers on the flatbed and any other specialist role.
These HMVs will be employed for cross-country (off-road) operations in plains and desert terrains as obtained along the western borders with Pakistan, and in high altitude or mountain terrain up to 5,000 m or 16,400feet as obtained along the northern borders with China that include eastern Ladakh, Central Sector or north Sikkim.
These vehicles will be procured under the 'Make in India' initiative from Indian vendors who either have the capability to manufacture on their own with indigenous content of 60 per cent or can manufacture in tie-up with some original equipment manufacturer but with more than 50 per cent indigenous content.
Amidst ongoing tensions between troops of India and China in eastern Ladakh, New Delhi has been cranking up its infrastructure along the borders and also inducting state-of-the-art weapons and equipment in the force. It must be noted that the Chinese side has been enhancing its border infrastructure on its side for a long time.
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