NEW DELHI: Tata Motors and Malaysia’s DRB-HICOM Defence Technologies (Deftech) have signed an agreement to develop, promote and market the former’s high-mobility 4-by-4 trucks for the armed forces of Malaysia. Deftech, a wholly owned subsidiary of DRB-HICOM Berhad, will be initially working on two models in the 2.5-5-tonne payload range — the LPTA 715 and LPTA 1623, an official statement said. These vehicles can be configured as troop carriers, command post, ambulance, or for reconnaissance missions and as an armoured carrier. Tata Motors has been associated with security forces since 1958 and has supplied over a lakh vehicles to the Indian military and paramilitary forces. It exports specialised defence vehicles to the SAARC, ASEAN and African regions.