Chennai: Describing the main battle tank 'Arjun', handed over to the Indian Army in Chennai today (Aug 7, 2004) as having the attributes of an excellent tank, Chief of Army Staff Gen N C Vij said that it was better to have one's own equipment instead of depending on imported ones which would ultimately choke up the supply lines.

Speaking to journalists informally on the sidelines of the function at the Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) at Avadi, about 30 kms from Chennai, this afternoon, he said import content of the Arjun now around 50 per cent would come down to the affordable level of 20 per cent soon.

'Faster it is done, better it is', he said adding much depended on the accelerated production of more Arjun tanks.

Vij said the five Arjun tanks, now handed over to the Indian Army, would soon have a 'user field trials'. In terms of cost, Arjun was slightly more than the T-90, rolled out early this year from HVF, in Chennai.

The Army would have a judicious mix of T-72, T-90 and Arjun Tanks, he said.

The Chief of Army Staff said, 'We cannot develop such an advanced weapon system without the help and cooperation of the defence forces'.