South Korean Defence Firm Hanwha Defense ready to offer new light tank K21-105 to Indian Army
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Under the Make in India initiative, the Indian Army in had issued a Request for Information (RFI) to seek prospective manufacturers to buy about 350 light tanks in phases back in 2021.
According to the RFI, which was issued on April 22,2021, the Defence Ministry intends to acquire a "new generation combat vehicle platform, approximately 350 Light Tanks in a phased manner, along with performance-based logistics, niche technologies, engineering support package, and other maintenance and training requirements."
Later The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) of India, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, approved the purchase of 1,750 FICVs for the Indian Army earlier this year. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) specified that the FICV should be amphibious and include a manned turret with a future combat system (FCS) and fire-and-forget top-attack anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs).
Hanwha Defence of South Korea now has confirmed its participation in India's Futuristic Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) project bidding process. The South Korean defence company has offered its advanced K21 next-generation infantry fighting vehicle (NIFV) for local manufacturing in India with complete Transfer of Technology (ToT).
Several Indian manufacturers, notably the state-run Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL) and private-sector corporations including Mahindra Defence Systems, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), and Tata Motors, are producing FICV prototypes for the Indian Army. These Companies are likely to take part in the bidding process as well envisioning PM Modi’s visionary “MAKE IN INDIA” Plan & make INDIA Self Sufficient in Defence manufacturing.
Hanwha Defense says the vehicle it has offered to INDIA has a 105mm turret mounted on a K21 infantry fighting vehicle chassis. It has strong firepower and maneuverability that enables the vehicle to perform a wider variety of tactical operations than main battle tanks.
The Indian Army intends to acquire adaptable combat platforms weighing less than 25 tonnes to sharpen its edge in mountain warfare. These platforms will be able to exploit the restricted space available in high terrains through greater mobility, giving extra firepower.
According to the RFI, which was issued on April 22,2021, the Defence Ministry intends to acquire a "new generation combat vehicle platform, approximately 350 Light Tanks in a phased manner, along with performance-based logistics, niche technologies, engineering support package, and other maintenance and training requirements."
Later The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) of India, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, approved the purchase of 1,750 FICVs for the Indian Army earlier this year. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) specified that the FICV should be amphibious and include a manned turret with a future combat system (FCS) and fire-and-forget top-attack anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs).
The FICV is expected to have a 30 mm automatic cannon, a co-axial machine gun, and a stabilised remote control weapon station (RCWS) with a 12.7 mm machine gun. Active defence and laser warning systems are also necessary for increased survivability. The vehicle should be able to carry 11 soldiers, enabling for efficient infantry transit and deployment.
Several Indian manufacturers, notably the state-run Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL) and private-sector corporations including Mahindra Defence Systems, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), and Tata Motors, are producing FICV prototypes for the Indian Army. These Companies are likely to take part in the bidding process as well envisioning PM Modi’s visionary “MAKE IN INDIA” Plan & make INDIA Self Sufficient in Defence manufacturing.
Hanwha Defense says the vehicle it has offered to INDIA has a 105mm turret mounted on a K21 infantry fighting vehicle chassis. It has strong firepower and maneuverability that enables the vehicle to perform a wider variety of tactical operations than main battle tanks.