To purchase 400 new artillery guns, Army to issue tender

The Indian Army will shortly launch a tender for the purchase of 400 new howitzers, an artillery weapon, as part of a Rs 750 million agreement.

The Army will only use Indian companies for this. The purchase of the artillery has been proposed under the IDDM category (indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured). Top defence sources told India Today that the purchase will significantly benefit domestic businesses in the industry.

Four contracts for the purchase of 155 mm howitzers have been completed in the previous ten years. A number of regiments have already received these gun systems, and they are being outfitted with weaponry.

Dhanush, Sharang, Ultra Light Howitzers (ULH), and K-9 Vajra Self-Propelled Guns are some of these weapon systems.

The Sharang Guns have been upgraded from 130 mm to 155 mm calibre, whereas the Dhanush Guns are an electronic update of the Bofors Guns. Self-propelled weapons are already in use by the Seven and Five regiments.

Future artillery pieces will all be 155 mm calibre standard, with automated systems and assemblies.

The focus is on the creation of new technologies in the fields of sighting systems, ammunition production, metallurgy, and gun networking.