MoD seeks 1,500 light vehicles that can operate at 16,000 ft

Ajay Banerjee

New Delhi, May 20

Keeping pace with China’s growing assertiveness along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), India today announced that it intended to procure 1,500 light vehicles capable of operating at an altitude of 16,000 feet with a load of six armed troops.

4×4 drive must

• The vehicles need to have a 4×4 drive and maximum weight of 900 kg
• Will be used in hills, high altitude and snow-bound areas not less than 16,000 ft above mean sea level, plains and desert

This is third equipment-related requirement for Himalayas since the start of this month.

On May 6, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said it looked to procure small-sized surveillance drones — also called quad copters. On May 12, the MoD sought vendors for 500 specialised high-mobility vehicles to rapidly deploy troops at heights of more than 17,000 feet in the Himalayas.

On Friday, the MoD issued a formal request for information (RFI) — the first stage of the tendering process seeking 1,500 vehicles. The MoD wants the vehicle should be transportable by broad gauge Railway bogies and through IAF planes with the ability to airdrop the vehicle.