Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a contract with Heavy Vehicles Factory, a unit of Armoured Vehicle Nigam Limited, for the procurement of 47 Tank-72 Bridge Laying Tanks (BLT) for the Indian Army at a total cost of Rs 1,560.52 crore. The contract was inked by the senior officials of MoD and HVF/AVNL in the presence of Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh in New Delhi on January 21, 2025.

The BLT is a critical equipment which is employed to launch bridges during offensive/defensive operations by Mechanised Forces. It provides integral bridging capability to the Tank and Armoured Vehicle fleet enhancing the battlefield mobility and offensive capability. The present case being a Buy (Indian-Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured) will give impetus to the Make-in-India initiative in defence. This project will also play a pivotal role in boosting the overall economy and increasing employment avenues in the country.

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VK/Savvy