The Indians produced an Armoured Carrier Wheeled, Indian Pattern (ACV-IP) built by Tata Locomotives, and called it a 'Tatanagar'. At the outbreak of the World War II the United Kingdom was unable to meet the needs of the Commonwealth for armoured fighting vehicles. It led many Commonwealth countries to develop their own AFVs. As production of heavy armoured vehicles, such as tanks, required advanced industry which those countries lacked, most of the developed AFVs were armoured cars, often based on imported chassis.
In India a series of armoured vehicles was developed, known as Armoured Carrier, Wheeled, Indian Pattern or ACV-IP. These vehicles utilized Ford / GMC Canadian Military Pattern truck chassis imported from Canada. Armoured hulls were constructed mainly by Indian Railways (Tata). The armament typically consisted of Bren light machine gun, in some variants mounted in a small turret, and Boys anti-tank rifle. In production from 1940 until 1944, a total of 4,655 units were built.
The ACV-IP was used by Indian units in the Far East, Middle East, North African Campaign and Italian Campaign, typically in divisional reconnaissance regiments, as reconnaissance vehicle, personnel carrier, AA weapons carrier or Forward Observation Officer's vehicle.
ACV-IP Mk2A, "Dhar-4", 3 Indian Motor Brigade, 10 Indian Armoured Division.
