Last year, Indian automaker TATA Motors bagged the contract from the Ministry of Defence to supply over 3000 units of its TATA Safari Strome SUV to the Indian armed forces. Pictures on Team-BHP now suggest that TATA Motors has begun the delivery of the army spec TATA Safari and was recently spotted at the company's stock yard in Delhi and will be joining the Indian army fleet soon. The Indian Army has given the TATA Safari a new lease on life, it will replace the tried and tested Maruti Suzuki Gypsy as the Army's new 4X4 vehicle. Indian Army's new TATA Safari will get a new specially protected under-body and a reworked suspension. TATA Safari is indeed a good replacement for the ageing Maruti Suzuki Gyspy that has served in the Indian army for almost three decades.

TATA Safari army spec SUV gets black and beige interiors, reading lamps in the front and middle rows along with a manually operated Subros air conditioning unit. It will also feature dual airbags and ABS. Exterior changes include matte green paint job exclusive for the Indian Army, provision to attach jerry cans on the rear left and black-out lamps. The chrome has been replaced by either painting it with the exterior colour or with regular black shade. Engine duty on the army spec TATA Safari Storme is taken care by the 2.2L Varicor engine that sheds a power of 154 bhp and 400 Nm of torque mated with a 6-Speed gearbox.

Reports also suggest Defence executives had placed the order to procure TATA Safari after testing it for about 15 months. The basic criteria included 800 kg payload, A/C and hard roof along with 4x4 as a standard offering. The Safari was selected after undergoing a 15-month trial period. It comes under a new category of General Service 800 (GS800), which had three major requirements including an 800 kg payload, hard roof and air conditioning. Many of these vehicles being procured by Indian army will also be further customised based on specific use. TATA Safari is indeed a much better, spacious and comfortable SUV and a good buying choice by the Army.