Indian peacekeepers have deployed the Kalyani M4 armoured vehicle, a variant of the South African Paramount Mbombe 4 produced under licence to Abyei, Sudan to restore the peace in the area.
The Abyei Area is an area on the border between South Sudan and Sudan that has been accorded “special administrative status” by the 2004 Protocol on the Resolution of the Abyei Conflict (Abyei Protocol) in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that ended the Second Sudanese Civil War.
The Indian Peacekeepers are part of the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), a UN peacekeeping force in Abyei, which is contested between the Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan. hey arrived in January.
Indian peacekeepers have taken action to restore peace in Abyei, Sudan by deploying the Kalyani M4 armoured vehicle, a variant of the South African Paramount Mbombe 4. This vehicle is designed for a variety of military operations, including providing armoured protection for peacekeepers in hostile environments.
The Kalyani M4 is a mine-protected, high-mobility armoured personnel carrier produced by Kalyani Group’s Bharat Forge. It is a licensed made version of Mbombe 4 which is built by the South African Paramount group. After conducting extensive trials in Ladakh, Indian Army placed orders for these vehicles under an emergency procurement amidst China-India Border Standoff in a contract worth ₹177.95 Crores ($US23.6 million).
The deployment of the Kalyani M4 armoured vehicle to Abyei, Sudan is a sign of India’s commitment to helping to maintain peace and security in the region. The vehicle is equipped with a variety of features, such as a 360-degree gun turret, state-of-the-art night-vision systems, and an advanced fire control system. It is also capable of carrying up to eight personnel, including the driver and commander.
The Kalyani M4 armoured vehicle provides the Indian peacekeepers with the ability to respond swiftly to any threat or disruption in Abyei. It is also equipped with the latest communication systems, allowing for quick coordination between peacekeepers and their headquarters. In addition, the armoured vehicle provides protection against small arms fire, as well as mines and improvised explosive devices.
In 2021, South Africa’s Paramount Group and India’s Bharat Forge Limited agreed on building the Mbombe 4 armoured vehicle in India as the Kalyani M4. The agreement was signed at the International Defence Expo (IDEX) held in Abu Dhabi.
Kalyani Group is a subsidiary of Bharat Forge Ltd, which offers armoured vehicles, ammunition, defence electronics and artillery systems.
In February 2020, at the DefExpo in India both companies unveiled the Kalyani M4/Mbombe 4 and Kalyani Maverick. The United Arab Emirates is the launch customer for Mbombe 4 armoured vehicle, with four vehicles ordered in 2019.
According to Paramount, the Kalyani M4 is a multi-role platform, designed to meet the specific requirements of armed forces for quick mobility in rough terrain and in areas affected by mine and IED threats. It offers ballistic and blast protection – up to 50kg TNT side blast or IED/roadside bombs.
The Kalyani M4 armoured vehicle competed against Indian-designed and built 8×8 Tata Kestrel (also known as the WhAP – Wheeled Armoured Platform) and several other platforms including Maverick APC from Paramount and the Werewolf mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle from Namibia-based Windhoeker Maschinenfabrik after a request for information issued by the Indian Army in November 2019.
Indian Army has ordered 200 Kalyani M4s, worth about Rs177.95 crore ($24 million) and will be built at Kalyani’s Pune plant.
Subsequently, last year, the Indian Army inducted several indigenously developed armoured vehicles including the Quick Reaction Fighting Vehicle Medium (QRFV), Infantry Protected Mobility Vehicle (IPMV), Ultra Long Range Observation System (ULROS) developed by Tata Advanced System Limited (TASL), and Kalyani M4 Armoured Vehicle developed by Bharat Forge.
The Indian Army has inducted several indigenously developed armoured vehicles including the Quick Reaction Fighting Vehicle Medium (QRFV), Infantry Protected Mobility Vehicle (IPMV), Ultra Long Range Observation System (ULROS) developed by Tata Advanced System Limited (TASL), and Kalyani M4 Armoured Vehicle developed by Bharat Forge.
The deployment of the Kalyani M4 armoured vehicle is a key component of India’s ongoing mission to maintain peace and stability in Abyei, Sudan. It is a sign of India’s commitment to helping to maintain peace and security in the region, and its dedication to providing its peacekeepers with the best possible protection.
On the other hand, the Mbombe 4 Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV) has secured orders from five different countries. “The ‘Ultimate Warrior’ Mbombe 4 is presently in production in Africa and Asia, with more than 150 vehicles either being manufactured or on order for global delivery or deployment,” says Paramount.
