Mitsubishi Pajero SUV light jeep makes it debut as army vehicle in the Indian Armed Forces 2909111

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Defense News - India

 
 

Thursday, September 29, 2011, 10:37 AM

 

Mitsubishi Pajero SUV light jeep makes it debut as army vehicle in the Indian Armed Forces

For long, the Indian Army had been using the cheaper Maruti Gypsy and the Mahindra MM540/550 as the operations vehicle of choice and this shift to the Pajero has raised some eyebrows as the Pajero is a much more costlier vehicles, easily costing thrice as much as a Mahindra MM540/550 Jeep or the Maruti Gypsy.
     
For long, the Indian Army had been using the cheaper Maruti Gypsy and the Mahindra MM540/550 as the operations vehicle of choice and this shift to the Pajero has raised some eyebrows as the Pajero is a much more costlier vehicles, easily costing thrice as much as a Mahindra MM540/550 Jeep or the Maruti Gypsy.
Military version of the light jeep Mitsubishi Pajero
     

Not that the Indian Army which operates in very hostile conditions both in terms of weather and threat levels doesn’t deserve that, in fact the much more comfortable Pajero might be a very good addition to the Indian Army whose officers and soldiers have a very tough life, especially in the frontier states of India.

Also, the Indian frontier state of Sikkim does not have the best infrastructure in place even as it faces the hostile neighbor China. The Indian government, for long have neglected this vital area and this was grossly exposed during the recent Sikkim earthquake which claimed many lives.

Perhaps, the Mitsubishi Pajero being roped in for Army duty is one of the first step towards improving the overall infrastructural situation in Sikkim. The Indian Army definitely requires more such capable and rugged vehicles for duty in the frontier areas as the Mahindras and Gypsys of this world though rugged are quite outdated when compared to the Pajero.

     
Coming to the SUV in itself, the Mitsubishi Pajero is a Japanese SUV which is built by Mitsubishi motors and distributed in India by Hindustan Motors. The SUV uses the age old but tough body on ladder frame for its construction and runs on a diesel engine. The common rail turbo diesel engine of the Pajero produces 108 Bhp of peak power and 280 Nm of peak torque.
     
Coming to the SUV in itself, the Mitsubishi Pajero is a Japanese SUV which is built by Mitsubishi motors and distributed in India by Hindustan Motors. The SUV uses the age old but tough body on ladder frame for its construction and runs on a diesel engine. The common rail turbo diesel engine of the Pajero produces 108 Bhp of peak power and 280 Nm of peak torque.

A five speed transmission transmits all this power and torque to the Pajero’s wheels through a four wheel drive system. The highly acclaimed SUV is known for its tough build and bomb proof reliability, so much so that the Pajero has been the multiple time winner of one of the toughest rallies in the world, the Dakar rally.

To this date, the Pajero holds the distinction of having the maximum number of wins in the Dakar Rally. All said, although the Mitsubishi Pajero SUV might be more than a decade old, it still might be the best option for the Indian Army due to its rugged but simple mechanicals, which have been well proven both on and off the road.