Tata Motors has announced that it has received an order for 1,542 Sumo Gold utility vehicles from various police and law enforcement agencies across the country. The Sumo Gold, which sells about 1,000 units a month, has a claimed fuel economy of about 15kpl and low cost of ownership, the company said in a statement.  

Vernon Noronha, vice-president, defence and government business, Tata Motors, said, “The Tata Sumo was conceived and designed keeping in mind the need for a rugged, comfortable and reliable vehicle, with the ability to do almost everything with ease, including negotiate narrow city roads. These strong attributes have made the Tata Sumo popular in both commercial and personal transportation segments, and with law enforcements agencies. As a leading partner in supporting the country’s police and paramilitary forces, we at Tata Motors are proud to have received these orders for the Tata Sumo Gold utility vehicle and we will soon commence deliveries.”

Sales of the  Sumo in the first 10 months of 2014 were just over 12,000 units, down from 15,000-odd units in 2013.

Tata Motors has, since 1958, supplied vehicles to the country's off-road defence and security forces and the number stands at over 100,000 vehicles to military and paramilitary forces.

India’s police and the army place large orders with vehicle manufacturers and over the years, several vehicles have been used by the police and military including the Toyota Qualis (Mumbai police had placed a major order) and the Maruti Gypsy.