The Ministry of Defence has signed contracts with ACE Limited and JCB India Limited for the procurement of 1,868 Rough Terrain Forklift Trucks (RTFLTs) for the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy. The total contract value is ₹697.35 crore.
The contracts were signed in the presence of Defence Secretary R K Singh. RTFLTs are intended to support combat and logistics operations by reducing manual handling of stores, thereby improving operational efficiency across the armed forces.
This procurement falls under the “Buy (Indian)” category, emphasizing domestic manufacturing. The project is expected to generate direct and indirect employment by involving micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in component manufacturing.
According to the Ministry of Defence, this acquisition aligns with efforts to modernize defence logistics infrastructure and support indigenous industries. The government has introduced multiple policy measures to promote indigenous design, development, and production of defence equipment, aiming for self-reliance in defence manufacturing.
In the financial year 2023-24, India’s defence exports reached a record ₹21,083 crore (approximately USD 2.63 billion), marking a 32.5% increase from ₹15,920 crore in the previous fiscal year. The total value of defence production in India also increased by 17% to ₹126,887 crore in the last fiscal year.