The government has started the process of procuring all-terrain vehicles for deployment along the northern borders for the Indian Army and issued a request for information for it on Tuesday.
According to the RFI, an ATV will provide cross-country mobility to the infantry detachments for surveillance, mobile platforms for employment of weapons and mobile platform for logistic resupply in operations.
The vehicle will ensure rapid move through terrains where "unprepared or no roads exists," it said.
"The ministry of defence, government of India is desirous of procuring all-terrain vehicle for deployment along Northern Borders for the Indian Army. With the view to identify probable vendors who can undertake the said project, the OEMs or vendors are requested to forward information on the product which they can offer," according to the RFI document.
The first part of the three-part RFI incorporates operational characteristics and broad technical requirements that should be met by the vehicle, tentative date of the issue of the RFP (request for proposal) and the approximate quantity required to be procured.
The mandatory characteristics for the ATV sought by the Army include technical and physical characteristics.
The seating capacity should be for a minimum of four personnel, including a driver, and it should have disc brakes; transmission should be automatic; and it should be wheeled.
On heliportability, the RFI says, "By service helicopters held with Indian armed forces (Chinook/Mi26) with tie-downs points in front and rear of vehicle for under slung and should be Para-droppable".
The equipment should be based on (Global Navigation Satellite System) GNSS-based navigation system to include NAVSTAR, Global Navigation Satellite System and Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System.
"The operator should have the option of selecting, deselecting and blocking any of the available GNSS service," it added.
