Main Battle Tank Arjun

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has designed and developed Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun, a multi-disciplinary Armoured Fighting Vehicle, which has already been inducted into Army. Heavy Vehicle Factory (HVF) at Avadi, Chennai is the production agency of MBT Arjun. Out of total indented quantity of 124 Nos., 122 MBT Arjun Mk-I have been produced and inducted into Army. Two Armoured Regiments (43 & 75 Armd Regts) of MBT Arjun Mk-I have been raised and operationalised. Efforts for reduction of the import content of MBT Arjun is a continuous process. DRDO is presently engaged in the development of MBT Arjun Mk-II with 73 improvements (including 15 major improvements) over MBT Arjun Mk-I. Out of these 73 improvements, 53 have been found successful based on User trials. No time line for induction into Army can be fixed at this stage.

This information was given by Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar in a written reply to Shri Kodikunnil Suresh in Lok Sabha today.

HH/RAJ