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| Indian BMP-2 (Image: Wiki Commons) |
By Vivek Raghuvanshi
NEW DELHI — Faced with the continued delay of efforts to select a domestic company to upgrade its BMP-2 infantry combat vehicle fleet, the Indian Army had no choice but to buy 149 of the same outdated Russian-designed ICVs from the Indian government-owned Ordnance Factory Board, an Army official said.
"As the Ministry of Defence has not been able to [finalize] the procurement process of upgrading the outdated BMP-2 ICVs, the Indian Army had no choice but to buy 149 BMP-2 ICVs to replenish the inventory of around 1,200 BMP-2 ICVs," said the official, who like other Army sources quoted here asked not to be named.
"Upgrading the BMP-2 ICVs in inventory will take time, and in the interim this order will replace the ones which have lived their life and are to be condemned beyond repair," a second Army official said.
However, the need to upgrade the Army's BMP-2 ICVs is urgent, the second official said, noting the demand was raised a decade ago.
No MoD official would comment on the status of the BMP-2 upgrade. But an MoD source said the 149 additional BMP-2s purchased last month were to meet "urgent requirements of the Indian Army."
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