TATA Advanced Systems has expanded its defence portfolio by integrating military-grade enhancements into Jaguar Land Rover Defender vehicles, a development highlighted by TATA Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran during his recent review of the company’s facilities.

The upgrades include advanced optronics, navigation aids, and armouring, enabling the vehicles to serve in diverse military applications. Chandrasekaran emphasised that this initiative exemplifies the strong synergies between group companies, combining TASL’s defence expertise with JLR’s automotive engineering.

TASL, a key player in aerospace and defence manufacturing, has also strengthened its global footprint through its land mobility division. Over the past three years, the company has supplied more than 4,000 multi-axle high-mobility platforms to the Royal Moroccan Army and the Armenian Armed Forces.

This achievement underscores the company’s growing international presence and its ability to deliver advanced mobility solutions to foreign militaries.

During his visit to TASL’s upcoming Defence MRO facility near Bengaluru airport, Chandrasekaran reviewed the progress of India’s first private-sector defence maintenance, repair and overhaul complex. 

Scheduled for commissioning by December, the facility spans 15,000 square metres across 16 acres and will provide heavy maintenance and avionics upgrades for the Indian Air Force’s fleet of Lockheed Martin C130J transport aircraft. The establishment of this MRO centre marks a significant milestone in India’s efforts to build indigenous aerospace support infrastructure and reduce reliance on overseas facilities.

The Chairman was also briefed on TASL’s indigenously developed loitering munitions platform, which has seen substantial upgrades. The system now boasts extended operational ranges from 50 kilometres to several hundred kilometres, along with enhanced payload capacities, reflecting India’s growing capabilities in unmanned strike systems.

In addition, the Advanced Armoured Platform was showcased, a tracked combat vehicle jointly developed with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). This platform is integrated with TASL’s domestically developed 30 mm crewless turret, representing a major step forward in indigenous armoured combat vehicle technology.

Chandrasekaran’s tour included TASL’s Electronics City facility, where he reviewed the company’s strategic UAV programme. The facility is central to TASL’s unmanned systems development, which is increasingly vital to modern military operations.

He later visited the Vemagal facility in Karnataka’s Kolar district, where TASL has established a Final Assembly Line for Airbus H125 helicopters in partnership with Airbus. This facility strengthens India’s helicopter manufacturing ecosystem and supports both domestic and export markets.

At Vemagal, Chandrasekaran also inspected TASL’s defence manufacturing facilities, which included the C295 aircraft wiring harness production line, the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), Mounted Gun Systems (MGS), and launcher system integration hangars.

These programs highlight TASL’s expanding role in artillery, aviation, and integrated defence systems, reinforcing the company’s position as a cornerstone of India’s defence modernisation drive.

The visit by the TATA Sons Chairman reflects the group’s long-term commitment to building indigenous defence capabilities through advanced manufacturing, engineering, and technology development.

By leveraging synergies across its diverse companies, the TATA Group is positioning itself as a key contributor to India’s defence indigenisation and export growth strategy.

Agencies