BY : ZEE NEWS

Army will induct more indigenous main battle tank Arjun into armed formations after comprehensive trials in September.

"Nine more Arjun tanks have been accepted by the Army after recent demonstration trials near Chennai," Defence Minister A K Antony told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

With the induction of nine more tanks, Army will now have 24 tanks on its rolls. The Defence Minister said that further inductions would be done after the trials.

Army officials said the Arjun will be put through desert and mountainous terrain against Russian acquired T-90 and T-72 tanks.

The Minister's comments assume significance as Army has been delaying the induction of these indigenous MBTs pointing out a number of faults, including its heavier silhoutte.

"Some of the drawbacks and faults pointed out in the tanks have been rectified," Antony said.

Though the Cabinet Committee on Security had in 2004 cleared commercial production of 124 Arjun MBTs, the manufacturer, Heavy Vehicles Factory, Avadi has so far only rolled out and handed over to Army only 14 tanks.

For the first time, Arjun tanks took part in desert war games in May this year in which also T-90 and T-72 tanks also participated.