India will buy 307 howitzer guns; Defense Ministry signed a deal worth ₹ 6900 crore; For the first time so many indigenous guns will join the army
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The Defense Ministry signed a deal of Rs 6900 crore on Wednesday to increase the defense capacity of the Indian Army. Under this, now 307 Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) i.e. howitzer guns will be purchased. This is the first time that such a large number of indigenous guns are being purchased.
This deal has been done with Bharat Forge and Tata Advanced Systems. In this, Bharat Forge will manufacture 60% of the guns, while Tata Advanced Systems will produce 40%.
ATAGS guns: Made in India, heavy on enemies As its name Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System suggests, it is a towed gun i.e. a gun that is pulled by a truck. However, after firing a shell, it can go some distance on its own like Bofors. The caliber of this gun is 155MM. This means that 155MM shells can be fired from this modern gun.
ATAGS is also called howitzer. Howitzer means small cannons. Actually, big and heavy cannons were used in wars from the Second World War onwards. There were a lot of difficulties in carrying them to long distances and deploying them at heights. In such a situation, light and small cannons were made, which were called howitzers.
It is also known as Desi Bofors. This cannon has been developed by DRDO’s Pune-based lab ARDE, Bharat Forge Limited, Mahindra Defense Naval System, Tata Power Strategic and Ordnance Factory Board. Its development work started in 2013 and the first successful test was done on 14 July 2016. The use and features of this cannon are quite similar to the Bofors cannon, so it is also called Desi Bofors.
Other recent deals to increase the strength of the army
December 2023: The Ministry of Defense signed a deal with L&T and South Korea’s Hanwha Defense to procure 100 K-9 Vajra-T self-propelled guns for Rs 7,629 crore.
February 2024: The ministry signed a deal for 45 km range high-explosive rockets and 37 km range area denial munitions at a cost of Rs 10,147 crore, which will further strengthen the army’s Pinaka multi-launch artillery rocket system.
Taking lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war, the Indian Army is constantly focusing on increasing its firepower. The ATAGS deal will not only make the Indian Army stronger but will also take indigenous defense production to new heights.
