TATA Motors has showcased two indigenously built defence vehicles during the two-day BIMSTEC Army Chief's conclave in Pune on September 15, 2018. The two new combat vehicles from TATA Motors are 4X4 Mine Protected Vehicle (MPV) and the WhAP 8x8 Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV).

The TATA WhAP 8x8 is India's first infantry combat vehicle which is designed for optimised survivability, all-terrain performance and increased lethality. The ICV is jointly developed by TATA Motors and Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

The TATA WhAP 8x8 comes with safety features such as blast protection, ballistic protection and NBC protection. The ICV is a low maintenance vehicle with a seating capacity of 10+2 and the vehicle can be easily modified to cater to various terrain conditions and missions.


The TATA WhAP 8x8 comes in various variants such as Armoured Fighting vehicles, CBRN vehicle, Recce & Support vehicle, Medical Evacuation vehicle, Engineer Squad vehicle, Mortar Carrier, Commander's vehicle and Anti-Tank Guided Missile vehicle.


The TATA 4x4 Mine Protected Vehicle is designed to serve as a mine-proof troop transportation vehicle, an escort protection vehicle or a law enforcement special response vehicle. The MPV features best-in-class ground clearance and the high power-to-weight ratios offer enhanced acceleration and maximum speed.


TATA Motors has also signed vehicle supply contract with BIMSTEC to supply TATA Xenon GS 800 to Myanmar TATA 2.5T GS LPTA 715 4×4 to Myanmar and Thailand, TATA 5T GS LPTA 1628 4×4 to Nepal and mission specific logistic vehicles for UN Peacekeeping missions.


Thoughts On The New Defence Vehicles From TATA Motors

TATA Motors has expanded its defence mobility portfolio with the introduction of the WhAP 8x8 ICV and the 4x4 Mine Protected Vehicle. Both the defence vehicles are made in India and come with a host of features to cater to the Indian Army. TATA Motors has also bagged several orders for the vehicles from other countries.