The Indian Defense Ministry on Wednesday signed a contract with the Armoured Vehicles Nigam Ltd (AVNL) for the procurement of 693 armament kits for the upgrade of Indian Army BMP-2 fighting vehicles to BMP-2M configuration, an official statement said.
The armament upgrade package encompasses a suite of enhancements, including night enablement, gunner main sight, commander panoramic sight, and a sophisticated fire control system (FCS) equipped with an automatic target tracker. These upgrades fall under the ambit of the Buy Indian-Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured Category, emphasizing the nation’s focus on self-reliance in defense production.
The Defense Ministry underscored AVNL’s development of an indigenized solution in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), Chennai. Leveraging domestic capabilities, AVNL will integrate DRDO and BEL-developed sight and FCS into the BMP-2/2K vehicles.
In a move to bolster the indigenous defense manufacturing ecosystem, AVNL will source equipment and subsystems from domestic manufacturers, further advancing India’s self-reliance in defense production. This approach aligns with India’s broader agenda of bolstering its defense capabilities through domestic innovation and manufacturing.
The BMP-2 is a Cold War-era amphibious infantry fighting vehicle introduced in the 1980s in the Soviet Union, following on from the BMP-1 of the 1960s. With this modernization effort, India aims to enhance the operational effectiveness of its armored forces, ensuring they remain agile and equipped to meet evolving security challenges