Indian Army Finally Ordered a New Fleet of Mine Protected Vehicles

The Indian Army and BSF soldiers jointly made a list comprising bulletproof jackets, thermal imagers and more.

File photo of Indian army cavilary. (Photo: PTI)

The Indian Army and the Border Security Force (BSF) had notified their soldiers on the ground to make a list of requirements, reports India Today.

The soldiers reportedly made a list that includes rifles, ammunition, bulletproof jackets, hand-held thermal imagers, night vision devices, sandbags and fresh communication lines.

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However, the notification does little to raise the hopes of the Army soldiers. As an officer leading a battalion at the Line of Control (LoC) points out:

This happens every time things tense up. While a few things will be made available, most will not. Invariably, matters fall back to the same old pace. We hope things are different this time.

The BSF requires 3.5 lakh bulletproof vests and has ordered 50,000 earlier in the year. However, quantity and quality of the vests may not be up to the mark, the report claims citing sources.

File photo of a Mine Protected Vehicles (MVP). (Photo Courtesy: Indian Ordinance Factories)

The Indian Army has asked for 250 Mine Protected Vehicles (MVP) which can carry up to a dozen soldiers and protect them through minefields of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED).

The order has reportedly been placed with the Vehicle Factory Jabalpur (VFJ) and the delivery is expected to begin by 2018.

The Army started using MPVs in the early 1990s while countering insurgencies. An officer close to the case said the new fleet of vehicles have been finalised after several rounds of testing.

(Source: India Today)