Tata Motors has signed a follow-on contract with the Indian Army to supply 619 units of its 6X6 HMV (high-mobility vehicle) multi-axle truck. Built with a material handling crane, the Tata 6X6 HMV is meant for loading-unloading and transportation of ammunition pallets, spares and other operational equipment.

• This is in conjunction to an earlier order awarded by the Army to Tata Motors for 1,239 units of the 6X6 HMV.
• This is the single largest order awarded to an Indian private original equipment manufacturer in land systems by the Indian Army under the defence ministry’s defence procurement procedure.
• Developed indigenously, the Tata 6X6 high-mobility all-terrain all-wheel drive vehicle has been designed to cope with extreme on or off-road loads and has gone through trials, including deep water-fording, on cross-country terrains and plains.
• The Tata 6X6 is designed for easy operability and it has a modular cabin which is fully-ready for up-armoring. It has high ground clearance and can negotiate gradients, sand dunes, off-road terrains, and trenches, with higher water and mud fording capabilities while carrying designated military payloads.
• It is fitted with a central tire inflation system (CTIS), which allows the driver to adjust the tyre pressure from his seat, for better traction on different surfaces, especially when carrying vital and heavy loads.

Did You Know?

• The Indian Army was formed in 1776, under the government of the East India Company in Kolkata.
• The Siachen Glacier, 5000 metres above sea level, is the highest battlefield in the world. And the Indian Army controls it.
• The Indian Army has a cavalry regiment. There are only 3 such regiments in the world.
• The Indian Army is one of the biggest troop contributors to the United Nations peace making operations.