After conducting extensive trials in Ladakh, the Indian Army placed orders for these vehicles under an emergency procurement amidst China-India Border Standoff in a contract worth ₹177.95 crore (equivalent to ₹200 crore or US$23 million in 2023) in 2021.[7]
Design
Kalyani M4 at the Kartavya Path, January 2023
The Kalyani M4 is designed predominantly as an extraction and occupant protection vehicle. Its design offers high speed and quick manoeuvrability. It has a maximum payload of 2.3 tonnes and can carry up to 8 people. With all the armour, the M4 weighs around 16,000 Kg. It has a 43-degree approach and 44-degrees departure angle with a water wading depth of 900 mm to operate it in tough terrain or fording rivers [8]
The Kalyani M4 uses a turbocharged 6-pot diesel motor which is rated to deliver 465hp and a 1627 Nm of torque. It uses a CVT automatic transmission. It also features a low-range gearbox to work with the 4×4 system to scale difficult steep inclines. The M4 has top speed of 140 km/h and has a range of 800 km.[9][10]
It can withstand three 10 kg TNT charges under the wheels and 50 kg IED side blasts.[11][12]
Kalyani M4 as part of Indian UN peacekeepers leaving for UNISFA, Abyei, April 2022.
