New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence on Monday signed a contract to procure Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) for Soviet-designed T-72 and T-90 main battle tanks at a cost of Rs 586 crore, according to an official statement.
The APU is an alternative source for the generation of electric power for the fire control system, firing circuit, gun stabilisation system and other ancillaries of the tank. The induction of indigenously developed APUs will further strengthen the operational readiness, reliability and sustainability of the Indian Army’s mechanised formations.
The contract with Accurate Industrial Controls Private Ltd was inked here on Monday in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.
T-72 and T-90 tanks are the mainstay of India’s mechanised forces. The APU can cater to the tank’s fire control system while deployed in surveillance mode during a lull in battle, and during training, with a view to conserving the life of the main engine of the tank.
The order placed with an indigenous company will also help India to achieve self-reliance in APU manufacturing technology for tanks in accordance with the Prime Minister’s vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat.
The project also has a huge potential to generate future domestic and export business, which can be many times more than the current procurement of APUs, as it is a continuous requirement, keeping in mind the present inventory of T-72, T-90, Arjun tanks, and BMPs held by the Indian armed forces and expected new tank supplies in the coming years. In the export market, the countries using Russian T-72 and T-90 tanks can also provide a demand for India-made APUs for tanks. Apart from the former Soviet bloc nations, other countries such as Iran, Iraq, and Egypt also have these main battle tanks in their armies.
(IANS)
