Since independence, some of the iconic Indian cars have supported the movement of 5,137,000 (as per Jagran Josh) personnel belonging to different branches of the defence forces.
India turns 79 on August 15, 2025, and has no dearth of history, be it in terms of its cuisine, politics, scientific achievements, or, in this case, automobiles. In the last 79 years, several countries have attained freedom from British colonisation, but only India has managed to become one of the biggest automobile hubs in the world—in fact, the country has the biggest two-wheeler industry on the planet.
However, this article focuses on cars that stood on the front line and served the country’s defence forces. Be it scaling the treacherous off-road terrain in the North or battling the monsoons of the East, some of these cars have even laid down their lives for the country.
As India prepares to celebrate its Independence Day, let us celebrate a number of cars that served to the best of their abilities in various branches of the Indian defence forces.
It is no surprise that the Maruti Gypsy tops the list, having served the forces for as long as we can remember. The off-roader SUV was inducted in 1991 and served until 2019, even though it was discontinued from the commercial market. In 2019, Maruti officially discontinued the car, and the army stopped inducting new Gypsies. In its place, the army now uses the Maruti Suzuki Jimny alongside other cars.
Before the Indo-Sino conflict, the Indian defence forces did not have access to war jeeps of the highest quality. Therefore, the head of forces took an interest in the Nissan Patrol P60, a Japanese army jeep, after the above-mentioned conflict. However, importing them was too expensive for the nation. Therefore, the Indian government secured a Nissan licence to manufacture the jeeps locally in India. And that’s how the Nissan Jonga got inducted into the forces in 1969. But why the name Jonga? The jeeps were produced at the Jabalpur Ordnance and Guncarriage Assembly – JONGA.
Produced by Mahindra & Mahindra Defense, the Marksman was India’s first armoured infantry mobility vehicle. It is mostly used to transport a small number of soldiers or for patrolling. From defence forces to police units, the Marksman can withstand small firepower attacks. The car also boasts a 270-degree mount at the top for counterattacks.
Powered by a 3.2-litre turbo-diesel powertrain producing 215hp of power and 500Nm of torque, the Armado is an Armoured Light Specialist Vehicle (ALSV) that offers ballistic protection. The Armado can be configured for LWD or RWD with a top speed of 120 kilometres per hour and a payload capacity of 1,000 kilograms.
One of the most loved SUVs in India from the 90s, the Sumo, was used by the Indian Army Medical Corps. The car served as an ambulance in combat situations. In the Indian commercial market, the car had a rear-wheel drive setting, but for the army, the Sumo had a 4x4 drive to cross the worst terrains and obstacles.
