Army issues Rs 6,500 crore tender for buying 400 howitzers under Make-in-India

To promote the indigenously designed and developed weapons, the Indian Army issued a tender for buying 400 howitzers from Indian firms on Friday.

Indian Army’s Regiment of Artillery is looking to use the expertise of Indian Industry to produce a 155 mm/52 calibre Towed Gun System, which will be lighter, versatile and cater for future technological advancements.

“A tender for buying 400, 155-mm 52-calibre towed artillery gun systems (TAGS) along with towing vehicles from Indian firms under the Buy Indian-IDDM category has been issued,” senior military officials told ANI.

“The firms who have received the tender include local defence majors Bharat Forge, Larsen and Toubro, Adani, and Ordnance Factory Board,” they said.

The Indian Army has already issued a tender for buying 307 Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems (ATAGS) along with one for finding a mounted gun system for its requirements along borders with China and Pakistan.

The Indian Designed, Developed and Manufactured howitzer would mean that it would be totally Indian in all ways.

The Army wants the guns to be 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 Mediumisation 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 a 155 mm howitzer. These Gun Systems have already been inducted and more number of Regiments are being equipped with these guns.

In the last decade, four contracts have been concluded for the procurement of a 155 mm howitzer.

These Gun Systems have already been inducted and more number of Regiments are being equipped with these guns. (ANI)