DRDO Invites Bids for Three 8×8 High-Mobility Defence Vehicles Under Make in India Procurement

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has invited bids for the procurement of three 8×8 high-mobility vehicles under a tender issued through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM). The procurement includes Make in India purchase preference provisions, supporting opportunities for domestic manufacturers in the specialised military vehicle sector.

The tender, issued by the Office of the Director General of Electronics and Communication Systems (DG ECS), comes under the Department of Defence Research and Development, Ministry of Defence. The vehicles are intended for delivery to Hyderabad, Telangana, where DRDO operates several defence research and development establishments.

Published on September 9, 2026, the tender carries the reference number GEM/2026/B/7936228. Following extensions to the original procurement schedule, the revised deadline for submitting bids is October 23, 2026.

DRDO Seeks Three Specialised High-Mobility Vehicles

The procurement covers three 8×8 high-mobility vehicles designed for specialised applications requiring substantial load-carrying capability and mobility across challenging terrain.

An 8×8 vehicle configuration typically features eight wheels with drive capability distributed across all eight. Such configurations are commonly employed in heavy-duty military vehicles that must transport substantial equipment loads while maintaining mobility on difficult terrain.

High-mobility platforms have applications across modern defence systems, including equipment transportation, radar installations, specialised communication systems and missile-related support vehicles. Their load-carrying capacity and mobility make them suitable for integration with different categories of defence equipment.

The procurement notice identifies the requirement as three 8×8 high-mobility vehicles. However, it does not publicly establish their intended integration with any particular missile programme or other weapons system.

Procurement Linked to DRDO’s Hyderabad Establishment

The tender has been issued under DRDO’s Electronics and Communication Systems organisation, with the delivery destination identified as Hyderabad.

Procurement records associate the receiving establishment with the Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS), a DRDO laboratory based in Hyderabad.

The tender specifies a delivery period of 310 days for the three vehicles. This provides the selected supplier with a defined schedule for fulfilling the procurement requirements.

The acquisition represents a requirement for specialised mobility platforms within DRDO’s research and development infrastructure. The precise technical configuration and operational application will depend on the detailed specifications issued to prospective suppliers.

Make in India Preference Included in Procurement

The tender incorporates provisions under the government’s Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) framework, which encourages the participation of eligible domestic manufacturers and suppliers in public procurement.

The procurement specifies Make in India purchase preference and eligibility provisions related to local content. Under the applicable framework, Class-I and Class-II local suppliers are distinguished by domestic content thresholds of 50% and 20%, respectively.

The tender also includes purchase preference provisions for eligible micro and small enterprises, providing an additional opportunity for domestic businesses participating in the defence manufacturing supply chain.

These requirements align the procurement with India’s broader objective of strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities and encouraging greater participation by Indian industry in defence-related production.

Specialised Mobility Platforms Support Defence Technology Development

Heavy high-mobility vehicles form an important component of modern military equipment infrastructure. Their ability to carry substantial payloads across varied terrain makes them suitable for applications requiring mobility, structural stability and integration with specialised equipment.

Depending on their configuration, such vehicles can support mobile radar systems, communication equipment, engineering platforms and other mission-specific defence applications.

India’s defence manufacturing sector has developed capabilities in producing heavy-duty military vehicles and specialised mobility platforms. Procurement requirements of this nature provide opportunities for manufacturers and their component suppliers to participate in advanced vehicle engineering and equipment integration.

For research establishments such as DRDO, the availability of specialised mobility platforms supports the development, testing and evaluation of defence technologies that require transportable equipment configurations.

Tender Includes Technical and Financial Requirements

The procurement follows a two-packet bidding system, separating technical evaluation from financial assessment.

The tender specifies an earnest money deposit of ₹16.76 lakh and a performance security requirement equivalent to 5% of the contract value. The procurement documents also include provisions concerning warranty, technical compliance and supplier responsibilities.

The original bid submission deadline was September 30, 2026. Subsequent amendments extended the deadline, with the latest closing date scheduled for October 23, 2026, and bid opening scheduled for October 24.

The final contract value and successful supplier will be determined through the procurement process.

Indigenous Defence Manufacturing Gains Another Opportunity

The procurement of three 8×8 high-mobility vehicles reflects DRDO’s continuing requirement for specialised equipment platforms to support defence research and development activities.

Although the tender does not identify a specific missile system or operational programme, high-mobility vehicle technologies remain important across several areas of modern defence engineering.

The inclusion of Make in India provisions creates opportunities for eligible domestic manufacturers and supports the development of an Indian supply chain for specialised defence vehicles.

As India’s defence research and manufacturing ecosystem expands, indigenous capabilities in heavy mobility platforms, vehicle engineering and equipment integration will remain important to technological self-reliance and the country’s broader defence industrial development.

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References

1. Government e-Marketplace (GeM), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. Bid No. GEM/2026/B/7936228, 8 X 8 High Mobility Vehicle, issued September 9, 2026.
2. Department of Defence Research and Development, Ministry of Defence. Procurement through the Office of Director General, Electronics and Communication Systems, September–October 2026.
3. GeM Procurement Corrigenda — Bid submission deadline extended to October 23, 2026.
4. Government of India — Public Procurement (Preference to Make in India) Order, 2017, as amended.

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