MDSL to supply 1300 Light Specialist Vehicles to Indian Army

Taking the clarion call of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' and 'Make in India', the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a contract with Mahindra Defence Systems Ltd (MDSL) for the supply of 1,300 Light Specialist Vehicles to the Indian Army. The contract has been signed to provide these vehicles at a cost of Rs 1,056 crore.

The contract that was signed in New Delhi on March 22, 2021, plans to induct Light Specialized vehicles in the Indian Army in the next four years.

What is a Light Specialist Vehicle?

The Light Specialist Vehicle is a modern fighting vehicle that would enhance the fighting units by carrying Medium Machine Guns, Automatic Grenade Launchers as well as Anti-tank Guided Missiles.

The Light Specialist Vehicle has been indigenously designed and developed by MDSL. These combat vehicles are extremely capable of all-round protection against small arms fire and will assist small independent detachments which are required to operate this weapon platform in the operational area.

The MDSL Light Specialist Vehicle project is a flagship project showcasing the indigenous manufacturing capabilities of the defence industry. The Ministry of Defence has speeded up the procurement and induction of indigenous vehicles, weapons and equipment with the help of DRDO and Indian defence industries. The recent data by Sipri has indicated a significant fall in the defence imports by India.

The new MDSL Light Specialist Vehicle deal will boost the Make in India endeavour to enhance the capabilities of the Indian Army.