For all the maintenance and repair activities undertaken by the PCPL, UVZ would provide full technical support, personnel and ensure conformance to quality

Russian firm UVZ and Punj Corporation Pvt Ltd (PCPL) have tied up to undertake repair and maintenance of T-72 and T-90 tank engines and radiators in India.

UralVagonZavod (UVZ), which makes main battle tanks, has also appointed PCPL as its sole representative to undertake the repair and maintenance work in India, the companies said in a joint statement today.

An agreement to this effect has been signed between both the companies in Chennai earlier this month, it said. Indian Army and the Indian Ordnance Board would be able to meet the critical material and logistics supply gaps for T-72 and T-90 Tanks through Indian Rupee procurement.

Awadhesh Mishra, CEO of PCPL told that this agreement would result in an expected business of around Rs 1,000 crore every year as there is a big backlog of repair work of these tanks in India.

The UVZ has said that for all the maintenance and repair activities undertaken by the PCPL including supply of required spares, the UVZ would provide full technical support, personnel and ensure conformance to quality.

It said that India has over more than 4,000 tanks and its serviceability and maintenance has been a major cause of concern.

Igor Kolikov, the Deputy Director General of UVZ has said the requirement of a suitable and simpler mechanism to improve the serviceability of tanks has been a long pending demand of the Indian government. This has now been initiated through the participation of Indian private industry.

Mishra said the establishment of a Private Service Centre is the first step in realisation of the Technical Service setup in India and reinforces the commitment by the UVZ to improve the overall serviceability of the UVZ products in India.

Suitable quality control and mobilisation of personnel as per OEM (original equipment manufacturers) guidelines shall be enforced to ensure timely delivery with greater degree of self-reliance, Mishra said in the statement.

UVZ and PCPL have also decided to cooperate in implementation of the "GOCO" (government owned, contractor operated) model for operation of the Army Base Workshops in keeping with the "Make in India" initiative of the government, it added.