SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The Indian Army’s much-anticipated induction of the Arjun Mk1A Main Battle Tank (MBT) has hit a significant delay, with deliveries now postponed to late 2028 or early 2029. This setback stems from a failure to reach an agreement between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and German engine manufacturer MTU Friedrichshafen over restarting production of the engines originally slated for the Arjun Mk1A.
Sources close to the Indian Army have confirmed to idrw.org that, rather than adopting an alternative MTU engine requiring extensive trials, the Army has opted to integrate the indigenous DATRAN 1500hp engine, which will only enter production in 2028. This decision marks a pivotal shift toward self-reliance, even as it pushes back the modernization of India’s armoured fleet.
The Arjun Mk1A, an upgraded variant of the Arjun Mk1 MBT, was ordered by the Indian Army in September 2021, with an initial batch of 118 units valued at ?7,523 crore ($907 million). Designed to enhance firepower, mobility, and survivability, the Mk1A was intended to be powered by the German MTU MB 838 Ka-501 V10 diesel engine, a 1,400hp powerplant that drives the earlier Arjun Mk1 tanks. Deliveries were initially scheduled to begin in September 2024, with the final batch expected by 2027. However, MTU’s cessation of production for this older engine model—coupled with its reluctance to restart the line for what it deemed a modest order—has derailed the timeline.
According to idrw.org, negotiations between DRDO and MTU faltered when the German firm declined to resume production of the legacy engine. Instead, MTU offered a newer variant, which would have necessitated 2-3 years of trials and modifications to ensure compatibility with the Arjun Mk1A’s chassis and systems. This proposal was met with skepticism by DRDO and the Indian Army, who saw it as a costly and time-consuming detour that would further delay an already protracted program.
Faced with this impasse, DRDO and the Indian Army have pivoted to the indigenous DATRAN 1500hp engine, developed in collaboration with Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML). Sources told idrw.org that the Army has agreed to induct the Arjun Mk1A with this new powerplant, bypassing the MTU option entirely. The DATRAN engine, first tested in 2023 and successfully fired again in March 2024 at BEML’s Mysuru facility, promises enhanced power (100hp more than the MTU 838) and adaptability to India’s diverse terrains—from Rajasthan’s deserts to Ladakh’s high altitudes.
However, this shift comes with a catch: the DATRAN 1500hp engine won’t enter full-scale production until 2028. While the engine has shown promise in initial trials, it requires extensive ground-based testing and integration into the Arjun platform. BEML has been tasked with manufacturing 20 additional DATRAN engines, which will be used to scale up testing, including upcoming trials on older Arjun prototypes. This rigorous validation process, expected to span 2-3 years post-2025 trials, ensures the engine meets the Indian Army’s stringent reliability and performance standards, pushing deliveries to late 2028 or early 2029.
The postponement is a blow to the Indian Army’s modernization plans, which rely on the Arjun Mk1A to bolster its armoured capabilities along the western and northern borders. The Mk1A, weighing 68 tons and equipped with advanced Kanchan composite armour and a 120mm rifled gun, outperformed the Russian T-90 in comparative trials in 2010, excelling in firepower and mobility. Yet, its heavy weight and dependence on foreign engines have long been points of contention, with the Army historically favoring lighter Russian T-72s and T-90s (comprising over 3,400 of its 4,000-tank fleet).
The transition to DATRAN is not without hurdles. Integrating a new engine into the Arjun Mk1A requires modifications to the tank’s engine bay and transmission, a process that idrw.org sources estimate will take at least two years of testing after initial trials begin in mid-to-late 2025. The Army’s decision to wait for DATRAN rather than induct a limited batch with older MTU engines (of which DRDO holds a small stockpile) signals a long-term commitment to self-reliance, even at the cost of near-term delays.
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