New Delhi: Toyota Kirloskar Motor has delivered the first batch of its Hilux pick-up trucks to the Indian Army. This truck had to go through several tests before being inducted into the Indian Army. These tests were conducted by the Technical Evaluation Committee of the Northern Command of the Indian Army. It was tested at an altitude of 13,000 feet on rough terrain and in 0-degree weather.
The Indian Army already has Maruti Gypsy, Mahindra Scorpio, Tata Safari Storme (GS800), and Tata Xenon pick-up trucks in its arsenal. Toyota Hilux has also now become a part of the Indian Army fleet. This truck has been included in this fleet because of its off-road capabilities. However, no information has been revealed about whether the model inducted into the army is the same as the civilian spec model or any changes have been made to it.
Military statement
In a statement, the Army said: ‘We are happy to receive the first batch of Toyota Hilux, which meets the requirements of the Indian Army. We appreciate TKM’s support in customizing the Hilux, which has undergone our rigorous road tests with its strong off-roading capability and excellent performance in harsh weather, and tough terrain conditions, which is critical to our requirements.”
Nexon EV in AF
Recently, the Indian Army has also received a batch of Mahindra Scorpio Classic, which has been procured by the army to replace the aging Maruti Gypsy units. Gypsy was involved in the army for almost two decades. Armies are also considering integrating EVs in their fleet, Indian Air Force has recently inducted 12 Tata Nexon EV units in its fleet.
