Army chief stresses continuous upgradation of conventional capabilities to deter aggression

• Gen Bajwa visits Gujranwala to witness the commissioning of the Chinese origin VT-4 Tank into the Strike formation.
• The tank is equipped with an auto transmission system and deep water fording operation capability.
• Army chief notes that the tank's induction would boost the striking capabilities of Pakistan's formations.

RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday said continuous upgradation of conventional capabilities is imperative to maintain a qualitative edge over adversaries and deter aggression.

The army chief's comments came during his visit to Gujranwala where he witnessed the commissioning of state-of-the-art Chinese origin VT-4 Tank into the Strike formation, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

The army chief, interacting with officers and troops, said the VT-4 Tank is another symbol of the Pakistan-China strategic cooperation and defence collaboration.

He noted that the tank's induction would boost the striking capabilities of Pakistan's formations. "The fast-changing dynamics of warfare demand the highest degree of professionalism and rigorous training with due focus on harnessing sophisticated technologies," he said.

According to the ISPR, the army chief witnessed the demonstration of the VT-4 Tank, which is a "robust warfighting machine".

Based on its advanced armour protection, high manoeuvrability, and exceptional firepower, the VT-4 can be compared with any modern main battle tank of the world, the ISPR said.

"Equipped with an auto transmission system and deep water fording operation capability, it is considered a potent weapon of strike formations," the ISPR added.

Meanwhile, according to the military's media wing, the army chief also visited the Dynamic Integrated Training Simulator of VT-4.