Tatra trucks in the army

Army chief Gen VK Singh delivered a shocker on March 26 by claiming he was offered bribe for clearing the purchase of “substandard” Tatra trucks. The Czechoslovakia-made Tatra trucks have been in the limelight ever since. Tatra trucks have been defended as the best technology available in the market by its Indian manufacturers BEML, apart from defence ministry officials. According to DRDO chief Dr. V.K. Saraswat, the Tatra vehicles have given outstanding performance in various terrains at required speeds and the Indian Defense has used them for Prithvi and Agni launches. Inducted into the Indian Army in 1987, Tatras are all-wheel drive trucks with unique swinging axles and independent suspension, allowing exceptional cross-country mobility. The Indian Army has a fleet of 7,000 Tatras that can travel in extreme temperatures – from -32 degree to 50 degree. If you still wonder what the big deal about Tatra is, take a look at Tatra’s fleet of defense trucks here.