Defence Ministry Signs Rs 697-Crore Contract For Acquiring Forklift Trucks

The Ministry of Defence signed a contract worth Rs 697.4 crore with ACE Ltd. and JCB India Ltd. for the procurement of 1,868 rough-terrain forklift trucks.

The contract for acquiring the rough-terrain forklift trucks was intended for the army, air force and navy, according to a press release by the Ministry of Defence on Thursday.

Rough-terrain forklift trucks are an important equipment that will help in multiple combat and logistics support tasks, avoiding handling of enormous numbers of stores and improving the efficiency of the military, it said.

The acquisition will help in generating direct and indirect employment by promoting the micro, small and medium enterprises sector through component manufacturing, the release said.

The move also represents a step towards modernising India's defence infrastructure and empowering indigenous industries, carrying forward the self-reliant India initiative, it added.