Ashok Leyland explores autonomous Stallion, drones for armed forces

The commercial vehicle maker is also developing a hydrogen-powered Stallion and targeting defence mobility opportunities worth ₹11,000 crore over the next three to five years

Ashok Leyland, India's second-largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles and the fourth-largest bus manufacturer globally, is set to enter a new era in its defence mobility business. According to a top executive, the company's defence team is exploring multiple new-age options, including a possible entry into the logistics drones business and an autonomous version of its legendary defence brand, Stallion.

 

The company is betting big on ₹11,000 crore worth of defence mobility tenders in India in the next three to four years. It is also working on a hydrogen-fuel-based Stallion in tie-up with defence manufacturing unit Vehicle Factory Jabalpur (VFJ).

 

 

The defence division is also looking to expand its overseas footprint by increasing the revenue from overseas business to around 25 per cent from around 10 per cent now. At present, Ashok Leyland has around 30 platforms servicing the armed forces, with most of them replacing imported vehicles, or being used for new vehicle applications.

 

"In the next three to five years, on the mobility and land mobility side, there should be a total market of around ₹11,000 crore in India," said Amandeep Singh, president - defence business, Ashok Leyland.

 

"There is a challenge to make Stallion, which is the mainstay of the Indian Armed Forces, autonomous. We are working on that. It is a futuristic program and will involve connected vehicles," he said. These vehicles are likely to be used on the supply side and in certain critical front operations.

"We are exploring the possibility of foraying into logistics drones for defence purposes," he added.

 

The company said it will also be able to cross-deploy alternate fuels -- including compressed natural gas and liquefied natural gas -- in addition to electric vehicles, which it is already equipped to supply. "We are also working with VFJ on a hydrogen engine option for our Stallion range of vehicles," Singh added.

 

Bets big on overseas market

 

Ashok Leyland at present has an order book of around ₹2,000 crore in defence, out of which 90 per cent comprises domestic orders. The firm's target is to increase the overseas revenue share to around 25 per cent going ahead. It is focusing mainly on SAARC countries, Africa, and ASEAN through its recent tie-up with PT Pindad, Indonesia’s premier state-owned defence and industrial equipment manufacturer. "We are aggressively looking at Gulf Cooperation Council countries. We already have a plant in the UAE, and we are looking for one more plant coming up in the GCC," he added. Ashok Leyland has 13 manufacturing locations across the world now.

 

The PT Pindad tie-up outlines a strategic collaboration for the joint development and manufacturing of electric buses and defence vehicles tailored for Indonesia’s growing mobility and national security requirements. The partnership aims to leverage Ashok Leyland’s global expertise in commercial EV platforms and defence mobility solutions, together with Pindad’s deep engineering capabilities, local manufacturing strength, and longstanding contribution to Indonesia’s defence ecosystem.

 

"Wherever there is a significant requirement that comes up and there is a proposal, we are very open, and we have already given proposals to various governments to set up assembly facilities in those countries," Singh added.