India’s Ashok Leyland and the combat vehicles research and development establishment (CVRDE) have partnered to develop and manufacture the 600hp indigenous engine for combat vehicles.
Testing of the CVRDE-DRDO-developed 600hp engine was inaugurated in the presence of DRDO and Ashok Leyland officials on 15 December.
Go deeper with GlobalData
The event was held at Ashok Leyland’s engine development centre in Chennai, India.
It also marks a key milestone in India’s successful week under Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav.
Ashok Leyland is the development and production partner for the manufacturing of the engines.
The company noted that it had applied modern production methods and completed the engine manufacturing on time, despite the strict measures in place due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The engines are being developed under the AtmaNirbhar Bharat initiative introduced by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
This initiative aims to make India self-reliant and increase the country’s domestic defence manufacturing capabilities.
The 600hp engine must undergo rigorous lab testing before it will be qualified for use in tanks.
Upon successful induction of the engine into the Indian Army, Ashok Leyland will undertake the engines’ series production for other battle tanks.
In a press statement, Ashok Leyland stated that the partnership with CVRDE will enable the company to develop further innovations for defence requirements.
Ashok Leyland is a flagship of India’s Hinduja Group and one of the Indian Army’s largest suppliers of mobility solutions.
CVRDE is a premier establishment of the defence research and development organisation (DRDO).
Earlier this year, Ashok Leyland announced that it would continue to meet defence vehicles’ needs, despite facing production cuts across its facilities.
