The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved a significant ₹7,000 Crores deal to acquire advanced towed artillery gun systems (ATAGS) for the Indian Army. This development marks a major boost for indigenous defence manufacturing capabilities.

The contract, expected to be signed next week, involves the procurement of 307 ATAGS howitzers with a strike range of 45-48 km and 327 gun-towing vehicles to equip 15 artillery regiments. Bharat Forge and Tata Advanced Systems will manufacture these guns, with Bharat Forge producing 60% as the lowest bidder (L-1) and Tata handling the remaining 40%.

Designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), ATAGS feature cutting-edge technology, including "all-electric drive technology," ensuring maintenance-free and reliable operations over extended periods. The guns have demonstrated excellent accuracy, consistency, mobility, reliability, and automation during trials. They can fire five-round bursts compared to three-round bursts by other foreign artillery systems. The Army plans to induct advanced versions of ATAGS in the future to meet its total requirement of 1,580 units. India has also secured export orders for these guns, highlighting their global competitiveness.

The development of ATAGS began in 2013, followed by extensive field trials. Winter trials in high-altitude areas of Sikkim were successfully completed in 2021-22, along with summer firing tests at Pokhran ranges. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has underscored the importance of long-range firepower, prompting the Army to accelerate its induction of artillery systems.

In addition to ATAGS, India has been actively modernising its artillery capabilities. In December 2024, the Ministry of Defence signed a ₹7,629 crore contract with L&T and South Korea's Hanwha Defence for 100 K-9 Vajra-T self-propelled tracked guns with a strike range of 28-38 km. In February 2025, contracts worth ₹10,147 crore were inked for high-explosive rockets and area denial munitions for the indigenous Pinaka multi-launch rocket systems.

India's focus on indigenous defence production comes after decades of controversies surrounding imported artillery systems like Sweden's Bofors in the 1980s and South Africa's Denel in 2005. These scandals repeatedly hindered modernisation efforts but have now paved the way for self-reliance in defence manufacturing.

TNN