India is considering the development of domestic engines for Arjun Mark MK-1A tanks due to a delay in the delivery of German engines intended for these tanks. The decision comes after German manufacturers announced that it would take at least four years to restart the production of these essential engines.
In response to this challenge, India is exploring the possibility of designing and producing a local engine, a project that is already underway and could be completed more quickly than the timeline proposed by the German companies. According to several sources, there are plans to initially deliver a few tanks equipped with German engines, before gradually transitioning to the indigenous engines.
In 2021, India ordered 118 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) Arjun Mark 1-A, intended to become the core armored system of the army’s arsenal. Valued at Rs 7,523 crore, this acquisition is expected to significantly enhance the capabilities of the Heavy Vehicles Factory located in Avadi, Chennai, which manufactures these tanks, colloquially known as “Hunter Killers”.
The Arjun is a third-generation main battle tank developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Army. The development of this tank began in 1972 by the Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment (CVRDE), a laboratory of the DRDO. The first batch of 16 production-version Arjun tanks was delivered in 2004, forming a squadron within the 43rd Armored Regiment. This regiment was later expanded to 45 tanks on May 25, 2009, thus becoming the first Arjun regiment of the Indian Army.