A production delay in engines by German company MTU has caused a delay in the delivery of 118 Arjun Mk1A tanks to the Indian Army.
Due to supply chain adjustments towards newer engine versions, production of the MTU 838 Ka-501 engines initially intended for the tanks has ceased, and restarting would take longer than the anticipated delivery timetable.
The Indian Army ordered 118 Arjun Mk1A tanks in September 2021. Although the DRDO possesses some extra MTU 838 engines from earlier purchases, these will only be sufficient for the first shipment of tanks, which is expected to arrive in September 2024. It is now probable that this timeline will be affected.
In order to mitigate the shortage of engines and prevent manufacturing halts, MTU's affiliated enterprises are looking into the acquisition of older MTU 838 engines from secondary markets.
These engines will be used as a temporary solution until the locally manufactured DRDO DATRAN 1500hp engine is ready for use during the next 3-4 years, when developmental trials are completed.
The Engine Factory Avadi has started fixing old MTU 838 engines with localised parts from Indian MSMEs as a quick fix. This strategy will also apply to the secondhand engines that were purchased in the interim.
The delayed delivery schedule and engine issues impede the Indian Army's modernization plans. While using older, used engines provides a temporary solution, the ultimate objective is to switch to the domestic DATRAN 1500hp engine in order to maintain autonomy and maybe accelerate future production cycles.
