Tata Motors received an order of 3192 units of the Safari Storme from the Indian Armed Forces in December last year. The decision to replace the 30,000 units of Maruti Gypsy currently serving as the favourite army vehicle came after the Armed forces felt the need for a more powerful, safe and diesel-powered vehicle. Mahindra Scorpio and Tata Safari Storme were the top contenders for replacing the Gypsy as Indian Army's new workhorse. But with a better offer, Tata Motors has turned things in their stride.
Now Tata Motors has signed an official contract to supply these 3192 units of the Safari Storme 4x4. This lot of Safaris will be slotted into a new segment of vehicles - GS800 (General Service 800). The Safari ticked all the three criteria laid down by Indian Ministry of Defence (MOD) – minimum payload capacity of 800kg, hard roofs and air conditioning. It also underwent a gruelling trial for fifteen months in various terrains across the country. The Army-spec will be quite different from the road-going Safari – tougher and harder- in keeping with the exacting duties of Army life.
This is the second major order for Tata Motors from the Defence ministry (the earlier being Rs 1,300 crore deal in January 2016 for high-mobility military trucks). This is the first step by the Defence to replace the Gypsy fleet which comprises of 30,000 vehicles. This means that the Xenon will also follow suit to become a part of the Army’s fleet.
Commenting on the recently bagged order, Vernon Noronha, vice president, defence and government business, Tata Motors, said, “We are very proud to have received this prestigious order for over 3000 units of the Safari Storme under the newly formed GS800 category. Tata Motors has been a leading supplier of mobility solutions to the Indian Armed Forces and this order is a testimony to our partnership with the country’s security forces. This variant of the Storme has been modified from the one available for civilians with an upgraded drivetrain and significantly modified suspension. The Safari Storme was conceived and designed keeping in mind the need for a rugged, comfortable and reliable vehicle, making it popular with law enforcement agencies. We will shortly commence delivery of these vehicles to the Army and Navy in a phased manner.”
