Ministry of Defence orders 118 Arjun tanks for over Rs 7,000 crore

'Atmanirbhar Bharat' boost, will benefit 200 Indian firms, create 8,000 jobs

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on Thursday that it has placed an order with the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) for 118 indigenous Arjun Mark 1A main battle tanks (MBTs) for the army.

The Arjun Mark 1A has been developed by the Central Vehi­cles Research and Develop­ment Establishment (CVRDE) in Chennai — a Defence Rese­arch & Development Organisa­tion (DRDO) laboratory — and will be manufactured in the OFB’s Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF), Avadi.

“This production order to HVF, Avadi opens up a large avenue in defence manu­fact­uring for over 200 Indian ven­dors including MSMEs (micro, small and medium enter­pri­ses), with employment oppor­tunities