For over six decades, Ashok Leyland has been in the business of moving people and goods and is one of India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturers. Pioneers in the design and development of defence transport solutions, Ashok Leyland is the largest supplier of logistics vehicles to the Indian Army with close to 70,000 ‘Stallion’ vehicles in use.

A Relationship of Substance

The seeds for this relationship of substance with the Indian Army were sown in the 1970s, with the supply of 1,000 numbers of the company’s ‘Hippo’, a vehicle specially configured for the Army. In 1994, the hugely successful ‘Stallion’ platform was inducted followed by the inking of a transfer of technology agreement with Ordnance Factories Board for the co-production of the ‘Stallion’ 4x4 at Vehicle Factory, Jabalpur.

The ‘Stallion’ platform was first developed as a 4x4 vehicle for various applications such as general service roles, troop carriers, water bowsers, fuel bowsers, light recovery vehicles that have been tested and proven in the most demanding of operating conditions: in altitudes of over 5,500 metres and in the deserts of Rajasthan and in temperatures of -35 degrees Celsius to +50 degrees Celsius.

The company’s expanding portfolio of Defence vehicles feature the Light Recovery Vehicle for the Indian Army/DGBR, the 5 KL Water Bowser with twin stainless steel insulated walls water tanks mounted on the Stallion for carrying potable water for the jawans at extreme temperatures, the Truck Fire Fighting 4x2, gun towing vehicle Topchi 4x4, Mobile Refrigerated Containers and Fuel Dispensers.

A new platform – the ‘Super Stallion’ has been introduced to answer the high mobility requirements of the Indian Army. The ‘Super Stallion’ in 8x8 and 6x6 configurations as a High Mobility Vehicle (HMV) is the new flagship vehicle. Engineered to perform with high mobility and power in arduous desert terrains, this vehicle can be offered for a variety of applications for towing Field Artillery, for mounting guns, for mounting electronic warfare equipment and as missile carriers with different transmission and driveline configurations. The HMV 8x8 is, at present, proving its worth by undergoing trials with the Army.

The ‘Stallion’ in a 6x6 configuration with a new engine and auto transmission is on offer to operate in demanding, mountainous terrains. This vehicle can be deployed as Troop Carriers, Water and Fuel Bowsers, Light Recovery Vehicles and as the base vehicle to mount communication equipment and command control posts.