Deal for 307 'Made in India' ATAGS guns likely by March: Indian Army chief

The indigenously developed 155mm/52 calibre ATAGS howitzer, a state-of-the-art system, was developed by the DRDO in collaboration with Bharat Forge and the TATA Group

The Indian Army aims to finalise the contract for procuring 307 Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) platforms—indigenously developed, state-of-the-art 155mm howitzers—at an estimated cost of Rs 8,000 crore by March 2025, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi announced on Monday during his annual press conference ahead of Army Day, observed on January 15. "If all goes as planned, we aim to sign the ATAGS contract before the end of this financial year," General Dwivedi stated.

 

In November, Kalyani Group’s Bharat Forge began contract negotiations with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for 307 ATAGS platforms. "After completion of the due technical evaluation process and commercial bids opening, the contract negotiation procedure between Bharat Forge Ltd and the Indian Ministry of Defence is currently underway," the company informed the stock exchange. 

 

The 155mm/52 calibre ATAGS has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with Bharat Forge and the TATA Group. Bharat Forge reportedly emerged as the lowest bidder after the bids were opened at the end of October. Under the MoD's procurement plan, 60 per cent of the contract is expected to go to Bharat Forge, while 40 per cent may be awarded to the TATA Group if it agrees to match the price quoted by the former. Bharat Forge also secured a contract from Armenia for ATAGS in 2022.

 

The ATAGS has a range of 35 to 45 kilometres (km), depending on the type of ammunition used. Notably, it achieved a firing range of 47 km during trials in 2017. 

 

Highlighting the Indian Army's commitment to advancing its artillery modernisation with a focus on indigenous platforms, in line with the government's 'Aatmanirbharta' (self-reliance) in defence initiative, General Dwivedi, when addressing questions about future enhancements to the indigenous Pinaka multi-barrel rocket system, stated that work is underway to develop extended-range ammunition. "If the extended-range ammunition meets our requirements, we may not need other long-range systems and we could concentrate on the Pinaka system," General Dwivedi said. 

DRDO successfully completes flight tests of Guided Pinaka Weapon System as part of Provisional Staff Qualitative Requirements (PSQR) validation trials on 14 November 2024. (Image credit: PIB)

 

In November, the DRDO announced that the guided Pinaka multi-barrel rocket system had successfully completed flight tests as part of Provisional Staff Qualitative Requirements (PSQR) validation trials, paving the way for its induction. This has extended the Pinaka's range to over 75 km. 

 

The Indian Army currently operates four Pinaka regiments, with six more on order. While the Pinaka Mk1 has a range of 38 km, several extended-range versions are under development, with plans to eventually extend the range to 120 km and beyond.

 

In addition to the Pinaka, the Army also has five Grad and three Smerch rocket regiments, with the latter having a range of 90 km—both systems being of Russian origin. Successfully enhancing its range could make the indigenous Pinaka the backbone of the Army's long-range rocket artillery, capable of delivering precision strikes over greater distances. 

K-9 Vajra -T is an indigenously manufactured Self-Propelled Gun System of the Indian Army | Photo: X / @adgpi

 

The Army also plans to expand its fleet of 155mm/52 calibre K9 Vajra-T self-propelled tracked artillery guns. The current 100 K9 Vajra guns, which have demonstrated their effectiveness in desert, plain, and high-altitude regions like Ladakh, will be augmented with additional units. 

 

In December, the MoD signed a Rs 7,628.70 crore contract with Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) for the procurement of 100 additional K9 Vajra guns for the Army. The guns will be manufactured under licence from South Korean defence major Hanwha Defense, extending an initial contract for 100 guns that has already been completed. At that time, sources had confirmed that the contract was for five regiments, or 100 units, of K9 Vajra artillery guns. A self-propelled tracked artillery gun is an armoured weapon system on tracks that can move across different terrains and fire large-calibre shells.