The Author is Former Director General of Information Systems and A Special Forces Veteran, Indian Army

News reports of October 7, 2022, have stated that Bharat Forge Limited has dispatched the first lot of Armoured Vehicles to the Indian Army, manufactured at their Pune and Satara Plants. According to Bharat Forge Limited, the company received an order worth 177.95 crore from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for supply of Kalyani M4 vehicles to the Indian Army under emergency procurement. Bharat Forge had inked a pact with global aerospace and technology firm Paramount Group to manufacture armoured vehicles in the country.

Designed by the Kalyani Group and manufactured by Bharat Forge, specifications of the Kalyani M4 armoured vehicle are as follows: mass – 16,000 kgs total weight; length - 5.8 metres; width - 2.6 metres; height - 2.45 metres; crew 2+2+6; armour – NATO STANAG 4569 Level III; engine – Turbo Diesel; power/weight -30HP/tonne; payload capacity – 23,000 kgs; transmission 6 speed automatic; suspension – Bilstein heavy duty suspension; operational range – 800 km; maximum speed – 140 km/h, and; steering system – power steering front wheel.

The Kalyani M4 is a multi-role platform, designed to meet the specific requirements of Armed Forces for quick mobility in rough terrain and in areas affected by mine and improvised explosive devices (IED) threats

The Kalyani M4 is designed predominantly as an extraction and occupant protection vehicle. Its design offers high speed and quick maneuverability. It has a maximum payload of 2.3 tonnes and can carry up to 8 people. With all the armour, the M4 weighs around 16,000 Kg. It has a 43-degree approach and 44-degrees departure angle with a water wading depth of 900mm to operate it in tough terrain or fording rivers. The Kalyani M4 uses a turbocharged 6-pot diesel motor which is rated to deliver 465hp and a 1627 Nm of torque. It uses a CVT automatic transmission. It also features a low-range gearbox to work with the 4×4 system to scale difficult steep inclines. The M4 has top speed of 140 km/h and has a range of 800 km.

The Kalyani M4 is a multi-role platform, designed to meet the specific requirements of Armed Forces for quick mobility in rough terrain and in areas affected by mine and improvised explosive devices (IED) threats. The Kalyani M4 successfully completed a series of extreme vehicle trials in some of the toughest environments in India. The trials were conducted in the freezing terrains of Leh and Ladakh, and the unforgiving deserts of Rann of Kutch. The trials in Ladakh were in Army’s Northern Command before the Army placed the order for these vehicles under an emergency procurement amid the China-India border standoff.

The Kalyani M4 successfully completed a series of extreme vehicle trials in some of the toughest environments in India. The trials were conducted in the freezing terrains and the unforgiving deserts.

Recently, Army's northern command inducted the Kalyani M4 to its fleet of armoured vehicles under an emergency procurement amid the China-India border standoff. The PRO of the MoD at Udhampur tweeted: "The best just got better! The induction of Kalyani M4, @BharatForgeLtd group's flagship armoured vehicle in @NorthernComd_IA theatre is a matter of pride for the #makeinindia initiative & the entire nation."

The Kalyani M4 armoured troop carrier vehicles have also been sent by the Indian Army for United Nations Peacekeeping missions. The Kalyani M4 is a Quick Reaction Fighting Vehicle (Heavy), indigenously developed and manufactured by Bharat Forge Ltd. It offers unprecedented levels of security and protection to the occupants in case of high Kinetic Energy threats, like severe mine blasts and grenade attacks. Moreover, it can carry an Infantry Platoon in full combat gear.

The Kalyani M4 armoured troop carrier vehicles have also been sent by the Indian Army for United Nations Peacekeeping missions

The M4 vehicle can reportedly withstand three 10 kg TNT charges under the wheels and one 50 kg IED blast at its one side. Speaking on the historic occasion, Baba Kalyani, Chairman, and Managing Director, Bharat Forge Ltd said, "We are proud to be delivering the Made in India Kalyani M4 for UN Peacekeeping missions. This encourages us to work for the benefit of our armed forces and it reinforces our commitment to harness our Prime Minister's vision for Atmanirbharta and self-reliance in the defence sector." Amit Kalyani, Deputy Managing Director, Bharat Forge Ltdstated, "Keeping crew safety and vehicle performance as paramount factors, Kalyani M4 has been ergonomically and aesthetically designed to allow the crew to perform their duties in an optimum manner."

With a combat radius of about 800 km, the Kalyani M4 would add to the required combat power of the military in all types of terrain. In fact, this would be an ideal addition for the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) deployed in counter insurgency areas. The Kalyani M4 armoured vehicle matches the best mobility platform available in the world. It is equipped with modern military-grade power terrain will all-time situational awareness. Variants of the Kalyani M4 like the ambulance and command post vehicles have been delivered to the Indian Army in the past.