Poland in $202 million defence deal with India

Friday, 02 April 2004, 20:30 IST
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WARSAW: A Polish defence company has signed a $202 million deal with New Delhi to supply 228 armoured vehicles to India, officials here said. PHZ Bumar, which bagged the order March 30, is in negotiations with India to supply another 50 armoured recovery vehicles, said a spokesman for the firm. The spokesman said Bumar was hopeful this deal would be inked once a new government is formed in New Delhi after India's general election in April-May. The WZT-3 armoured recovery vehicles to be supplied by Bumar are meant for the recovery of damaged tanks from the battlefield and for towing all types of tracked and wheeled vehicles. They can carry equipment for repairs and also be used as bulldozers. The March 30 deal for the armoured recovery vehicles was the second one clinched by Bumar. It had earlier bagged a $60 million deal to supply 80 such vehicles to India in April 2003. Bumar is also keen to bag a deal to upgrade some 2,000 Russian-designed T-72 tanks of the Indian Army with the latest technology and equipment. Poland has the expertise for such a programme as it was a part of the Warsaw Pact till 1991 and the Russians provided Warsaw the know-how to upgrade the tanks. After a slump in recent years, the Polish defence industry is shaping up well again and has made good progress in several research and development programmes. It is finding new customers such as Malaysia and Indonesia, apart from India, which has been a traditional customer for Polish defence equipment.
Source: IANS
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