The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) to complete the procurement of 41 indigenous modular bridges, worth over Rs 2,585 crore, for the Corps of Engineers of Indian Army.

The modular bridges have been designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) wherein L&T will serve as a DRDO-nominated production agency.

The key feature of the enhanced version of the bridges includes launching a single-span fully decked 46-metre assault bridge, as these replace the manually-launched medium girder bridges (MGB).

A modular bridge is fabricated in modules that allow quick installation in the field. A set comprises seven carrier vehicles based on 8x8 heavy mobility vehicles and two launcher vehicles based on 10x10 heavy mobility vehicles.

The procurement will accelerate the bridging capability of the Indian Army and also boost India's capability in producing world-class military equipment. Further, defence exports to friendly countries will gain momentum as envisioned under the 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' initiative.