India's first indigenously produced main battle tank will roll out of its production hub in southern India on Saturday, the defence ministry said.
The Arjun tank, which was conceived in 1983 but has faced many hurdles, will be officially handed over to the army by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, the ministry said in a press release Tuesday.
Designed and developed by India's Combat Vehicle Research and Development Establishment, the 3.5 billion dollar project is the most prestigious conceived by the Indian defence establishment.
However, the project had been mired in one controversy after another as many experts questioned its viability. The army also found that Arjun lacked many vital features during tests in Rajasthan in 1994.
Announcing Arjun's official launch, the ministry said the tank has a "high degree of mobility, superior firepower and excellent protection."