Army moves over Rs 6,500 crdeal to MoD to procure 400howitzers from Indian firms
NEW DELHI :
IN A mega push to promote
indigenously designed and
developed weapon systems,
the Indian Army has moved a
proposal to the Defence
Ministry to buy 400 howitzers
from Indian firms.
Indian Army’s Regiment of
Artillery is looking to use the
expertise of Indian Industry to
produce 155 mm/52 calibre
Towed Gun System, which will
be lighter, versatile and cater
for future technological
advancements. “A proposal for
buying 400 155mm 52 calibre
towed gun systems (TGS) along
with towing vehicles from
Indian firms under the Buy
Indian-IDDM category has
been moved to the Defence Ministry. The Government isexpected to soon take a decision on the TGS at a high-level meeting,” senior military officials told ANI.
The Indian Army has alreadyissued a tender for buying 307Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems (ATAGS) along withone for finding a mounted gunsystem for its requirements along borders with China andPakistan.The Indian Designed,
Developed and Manufactured how it zer would meanthat it would be totally Indianin all ways.
The Army wants the guns tobe lighter in weight and easier to deploy in high-altitude
areas like the older Bofors guns. The procurement process
is part of the Army plan for
Medium is ation with indigenous guns and is likely to be
completed by the year 2042.
In the last decade, four
contracts have been concluded for the procurement
of 155 mm howitzer. These
Gun Systems have already
been inducted and more
number of Regiments are
being equipped with these
guns. These gun systems
include Dhanush, Sharang,
Ultra Light Howitzer (ULH)
and K-9 Vajra Self Propelled
Guns. Dhanush Guns are an
electronic upgrade of Bofors
Guns, while the Sharang
Guns have been up-gunned
from 130mm to 155mm calibre.
Seven Regiments have
already been equipped with
ULHs while five have been
equipped with self-propelled
guns.