No more orders for Arjun tank, says Army

“What we need is a tank of the future at par with those available around the world. We are getting 124 Arjun tanks but will not purchase beyond that,” the Army officer said at the sidelines of an interactive defence session organised by CII in the capital.

The Army has been consistently maintaining that it is not in favour of inducting Arjun beyond the initial order but the final nail in the coffin came earlier this year when the Parliamentary Standing Committee was informed that the tank miserably failed a recent round of winter trials. The report was made public by Defence Minister A K Antony in April.

The tank’s German engine failed four times during a trial of just 1,000 km, adding to the defects detected earlier of consistent suspension and fire control problems.

However, sources at the Army headquarters said a decision to procure more tanks would be taken only after the conclusion of the current rounds of detailed accelerated usage cum reliability tests being conducted in Rajasthan.

The interactive CII seminar was organised to announce a two-day international seminar on Future Main Battle Tanks and Future Infantry Combat Vehicles starting in the capital on July 22. Lt Gen Dalip Bharadwaj, Army Director General (Mechanised Infantry) made the announcement.

The seminar will be inaugurated by Defence Minister A K Antony and would have participation from countries including Russia, US, Germany, UK, France and Israel. Among other things, the seminar will also help the Army draw up its requirements for a futuristic tank and infantry combat vehicle.

Arjun outdated

• The indigenous tanks will no more be inducted because of its restricted mobility and poor engine quality

• Army asks DRDO to develop a futuristic tank instead to meet its requirements for the 21st century

• Arjun’s German engine failed four times during a trial of just 1,000 km, adding to the defects detected earlier of consistent suspension and fire control problems