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Maiden trial run of MPV soon

The maiden trial run of the indigenously manufactured Mine Protected Vehicle will take place this month.

Announcing this in the Lok Sabha during the question hour today, Defence Minister George Fernandes said the government had purchased 90 MPVs from South Africa to meet the immediate needs of the Indian Army for counter-intelligence operations.

These vehicles, which are 11 to 18 years old now, have been refurbished with overhauled engines.

Sixty of them have been deployed in Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast.

Replying to Dilip Kumar Mansukhlal Gandhi, Fernandes denied the allegation that the MPVs from South Africa were purchased at double the cost.

In fact, the South African quotation was the lowest compared to the ones from the US and England. He said two contracts were signed with South African firm Reumech, for procuring 90 and 75 refurbished MPVs, along with the engineering support package thereof.

UNI

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