The Hindu Business Line : Ashok Leyland wins Rs 230-cr order from defence forces

COMMERCIAL vehicles manufacturer Ashok Leyland Ltd on Wednesday announced that it had won a Rs 230-crore order from the Indian army for supplying 872 specialised water carriers.

``The first indigenously-built water carrier, meeting general staff qualitative requirements, has a capacity of 5 kilolitres and can carry potable water for army personnel in all terrains. The tanker has been designed to keep the temperature under control and maintain the purity of water,'' the Ashok Leyland Managing Director, Mr R. Seshasayee, said at a press conference at DefExpo, the defence exhibition.

The delivery of vehicles would begin in this quarter and would be completed over the next six months. He said the company was the largest supplier of logistic vehicles to the defence forces and would soon be getting into the tactical vehicles segment with the development of light and heavy armoured vehicles.

``The Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) is already using our Stallion carrier platform to develop armoured vehicles. Independently also, we are working on building armoured vehicles which will be available in the next seven to eight months,'' Mr Seshasayee said.

The company is supplying Stallion kits to the OFB for production of vehicles. ``We have upgraded the Stallion for the export market and will offer it to the Indian defence forces as well,'' he said.

The Stallion has been successful in trials in Africa and the ASEAN region, Mr Seshasayee said. Ashok Leyland's subsidiary P L Haulwell Trailers is supplying mobile missile launchers to the defence forces.

``We have had discussions with the defence forces for supplying mobile bridge layers, mobile hospitals and command centre vehicles,'' a senior company official said.

In addition, the company is executing repeat orders for light recovery vehicles and truck fire fighting. At present, the defence sector accounts for 8-12 per cent of the company's revenues and is expected to grow at the rate of 10 per cent, Mr Seshasayee said.

"We expect to supply about 30-40 per cent of this before March," Mr Seshasayee said.