Army to induct MBT Arjun in June: Army Chief

Bangalore, May 27(UNI) The Indian Army would induct the State-of-the-art indigenously built Main Battle Tank (MBT) Arjun by next month along with T72 and T90 tanks Chief of Army Staff Gen J J Singh said today.

Speaking to newsmen on the sidelines of the flagging-off the newly manufactured Bogie Flat Arjun Tank (BFAT) at BEML premises here today he said initially five tanks would join the force. The Army had also placed order for another 124 MBTs in view of its high performance capabilities. The induction of Arjun would increase the combat preparedness of the nation he added.

On the delay caused in induction of the MBTs, The Army Chief said when any country developed a state-of-the-art equipment the production cycle would take a long time. He said that it has got most of the advanced features including communication, e-firing and fire control system besides ability to survive in a NBC (nuclear, biological and chemical) warfare environment.

About procurement of military equipments more from United States after Indo-U.S defence agreement signed recently, he said the decision ws left to the Government. ''The equipment itself is the most important criteria for us. It has to be the best and getting it from either the U.S or any other source is left to the government''.

However the first preference was for state-of-the-art technology produced indigenously.

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