Indian Army issues RFI for advanced armoured personnel carriers

New Delhi: Unconfirmed reports suggest that the Indian Army may have issued a global Request for Information (RFI) for the supply of at least 100 armoured personnel carriers (APCs). These troop carriers have been in the news lately when the US Army brought down a large number of its Stryker APCs for participation in the joint 'Yudh Abhyas 2009' exercise with the Indian Army.

Reports suggest that a global RFI (request for information) has been issued by Army's directorate general of weapons and equipment for procuring vehicles of such a nature. Apparently a 100 of these vehicles would be sourced directly from the manufacturer and the rest produced under a technology transfer agreement.

At present, Army operates over 1,500 of these APCs, or infantry combat vehicles, of Russian origin. The BMP-1 and BMP-2 models can carry around 10 soldiers each and equip the Army's 26 mechanised infantry battalions.

The Russians are already exporting the BMP-3 'Troyka' model, which is a more advanced version than those in service with the Indian Army.

The BMP-3 is one of the most heavily armed infantry combat vehicles in service, fitted with a low velocity 2A70 100 mm rifled gun, which can fire conventional HE-Fragmentation shells or 9M117 (AT-10 Stabber) Anti-Tank Guided Missiles, a 2A72 dual feed auto-cannon with 500 rounds and a rate of fire of 350 to 400 rpm, and a 7.62 mm machine gun with 2,000 rounds, all mounted coaxially in the turret.

There are also two 7.62 mm bow machine guns, again with 2,000 rounds each.