In addition to being capable and well-built enough to take on the army’s needs, they need to be at the pinnacle of reliability – as that could literally be the difference between life or death.
The Indian army has had a wide range of vehicles, most which are 4x4s built to take on the harsh terrain the army operates in, and some of these vehicles are armoured as well. In addition to being capable and well-built enough to take on the army’s needs, they need to be at the pinnacle of reliability – as that could literally be the difference between life or death.
Here’s a list of some of the vehicles used by the Indian army.
Nissan Patrol Jonga 4X4
The Jonga was built by Nissan exclusively for the Indian Army. The name is an acronym for Jabalpur Ordnance and Guncarriage Assembly. The Jonga was in service from 1969 to 1999.
Maruti Gypsy
One of the most popular vehicles of the Indian army. Even after production of the Gypsy ended for civilians, Maruti continued to manufacture the car for the Indian army. The petrol-powered vehicle performs well on urban streets as well as off-road thanks to its light weight.
Nissan 1 ton
The Nissan 4W73, aka 1 Ton, was used by the Indian military. It is said to have been based on the Dodge M37 Weapons Carrier.
Mitsubishi Pajero
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Tata Safari Storme
The army-spec of the Safari Storme was called the GS800 (General Service 800)!
Toyota Fortuner
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police uses the Fortuner in the Ladakh region. It was inducted into the force in 2016.
Mahindra 550 XDB
The MM550 is based on the American CJ Series Jeep. The off-roader has been used in some of the highest altitudes and snow clad passes in the world, during combat.
Tata Sumo
The Sumo was used as a staff car as well as an ambulance.
Tata Xenon
The Indian army placed an initial order for 500 Xenons, most of which went to the Border Security Force (BSF). The vehicle is equipped with four jerry cans and convoy lights.
Mahindra Rakshak
The Rakshak is an armoured military vehicle built by Mahindra. The vehicles are based on the Scorpio as well as the Bolero.
Mahindra Armored Light Specialist Vehicle
The ALSV (Armored Light Specialist Vehicle) was unveiled in 2020. The vehicle can carry 4 members and comes with ballistic protection, high-travel independent suspension, front and rear lockable differentials, a self-recovery winch and a central tyre inflation system. Its powered by a 3.2L, 6-cylinder diesel engine.
Renault Sherpa Light
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The Sherpa is an armoured tactical vehicle used by the National Security Guard (NSG) & Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
Force Gurkha
In 2018, Force Motors bagged an order to produce Light Strike Vehicles for the Indian army. The vehicles are based on the Gurkha.
Casspir
India is said to have used the Casspir in the 1990s. The South African vehicle is mine-resistant and can carry a sizeable crew of up to 14 members.
OFB MPV Aditya
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This is an Indian-made mine protected vehicle, based on the Casspir Mark 2.
Windy 505
The Windy 505 is the India army’s first patented fast-attack vehicle built by the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME).
UAZ 469
The UAZ 469 is a Russian military off-roader. It was phased out due to the difficulty faced in sourcing spares.
Mahindra Marksman
Based on the Scorpio, the Marksman is an armoured people carrier which comes equipped with a machine gun mount and night vision cameras. The vehicle can seat 6 people.
Kalyani M4
The Defence Acquisition Council recently placed an order for the Kalyani M4. It is expected to be manufactured by Bharat Forge, the defence division of Kalyani group. The vehicle is based on the Paramount Mbombe 4 armoured troop transporter. It is powered by a 6-cylinder turbo diesel engine and max torque is rated at 1627 Nm.
Kalyani Light Strike Vehicle
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Kalyani is also developing a Light Strike Vehicle for the Indian army. It is said to be based on the same platform as the Ford Ranger.
Mahindra e-Verito
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The Army inducted a fleet of 10 electric Veritos for officials to use in Delhi. The army has also used the HM Ambassador, Mahindra Scorpio, Maruti Dzire and Ciaz as staff cars.
Hindustan Ambassador
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ATVs / Buggys
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Smaller All Terrain Vehicles sometimes are the best and quickest mode of transport in harsh or dense terrains where SUVs and other larger off-roaders might struggle.
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