SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
The Indian Army’s ambitious ?6,500 crore tender for 400 155mm/52 caliber Towed Gun Systems (TGS), with a long-term requirement of nearly 1,500 units, has set the stage for a fierce competition among India’s leading defense manufacturers. Among the contenders, Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited (KSSL), a subsidiary of the Kalyani Group, is emerging as a frontrunner with its Bharat-52 artillery system.
Industry insiders suggest idrw.org that KSSL’s ability to scale up production and offer the gun at a significantly lower cost—potentially half that of the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS)—could tip the scales in its favor, outpacing rivals like Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL), Larsen & Toubro (L&T), and others.
The Bharat-52, a 155mm/52 caliber towed howitzer developed by Bharat Forge over a decade ago, is a proven platform with a range of 42 kilometers and a weight of under 15 tons, aligning with the Army’s demand for a lighter, more versatile artillery system. Unlike its competitors, KSSL benefits from an established production line and years of in-house research and development, giving it a head start in both technology and infrastructure. According to sources cited by idrw.org, KSSL could offer the Bharat-52 at a per-unit cost of ?11-12 crore, a stark contrast to the ?22.8 crore per-unit cost of the ATAGS, as calculated from the recent ?7,000 crore deal for 307 units awarded to KSSL and TASL in March 2025. This cost advantage stems from KSSL’s ability to leverage existing facilities and avoid the hefty upfront investments required by rivals to establish new production lines.
The ATAGS deal, split 60:40 between KSSL (184 guns) and TASL (123 guns), underscored the Kalyani Group’s dominance as the lowest bidder (L1), a position it aims to replicate in the TGS tender. With a production capacity touted by Chairman Baba Kalyani as capable of delivering “one gun per day”—over 350 annually—KSSL’s Pune facility is already primed to meet the Army’s initial demand of 400 units and scale up for the projected 1,500-gun requirement under the Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan. This scalability, coupled with a mature supply chain for components like barrels and breech systems, positions the Bharat-52 as a cost-effective, ready-to-deploy solution.
In comparison, competitors like TASL and L&T face structural challenges. TASL, while a key player in the ATAGS program, would need to adapt or develop a lighter variant for the TGS tender, incurring additional costs for design and production infrastructure. L&T, partnering with state-owned Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWEIL), offers the Dhanush 155mm/52 caliber gun, an upgraded version of the 155mm/45 caliber system already in service. The Dhanush benefits from AWEIL’s existing manufacturing facility in Jabalpur and a lower development cost due to its PSU-backed evolution from the Bofors FH77B. However, its per-unit cost—estimated at ?14.5 crore for the 45-caliber version—may rise for the 52-caliber variant, and L&T’s reliance on a collaborative production model could dilute its pricing edge against KSSL’s fully in-house approach.
The TGS tender, issued under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category, mandates indigenous design, development, and manufacture with at least 50% local content, a criterion the Bharat-52 meets effortlessly. KSSL’s years of R&D have refined the gun’s features, including an auxiliary power unit (APU) and autoloading system, ensuring compliance with the Army’s technical requirements for mobility, automation, and firepower. While the Dhanush has proven reliable in trials, its transition to a 52-caliber configuration could introduce unforeseen challenges, though failure in technical evaluations remains unlikely given AWEIL’s experience. Nevertheless, KSSL’s stable, battle-ready Bharat-52—already trialed by international clients like Saudi Arabia—offers a lower risk profile.
Cost remains the decisive factor. At ?11-12 crore per unit, the Bharat-52 undercuts the ATAGS by nearly 50%, a margin that could translate into billions in savings over the 1,500-unit program. For the initial 400-gun tender alone, KSSL’s pricing could shave ?4,000 crore off the ATAGS-based cost, making it an irresistible proposition for a budget-conscious MoD. TASL and L&T, burdened by the need to amortize new production investments, are unlikely to match this without compromising margins or relying on subsidies—a tough sell in a competitive bid.
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