SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
In a bold assertion of India’s self-reliance in defense manufacturing, Baba Kalyani, Chairman and Managing Director of Bharat Forge, and his son Amit Kalyani, Deputy Managing Director, have questioned the rationale behind importing the K-9 Vajra self-propelled howitzer (SPH) from South Korea. Speaking in early 2025, the Kalyanis argued that India already possesses the critical building blocks—such as 155mm barrel technology and SPG platforms—to produce a fully indigenous SPH, rendering further imports unnecessary.
This stance from the leaders of Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd. (KSSL), Bharat Forge’s defense arm, underscores a growing confidence in India’s private sector to meet the Indian Army’s artillery needs, spotlighting the potential of homegrown solutions over foreign systems like the K-9 Vajra.
The K-9 Vajra, a 155mm/52-caliber tracked SPH, has been a cornerstone of the Indian Army’s artillery modernization since 2018, with 100 units inducted by 2021 under a ?4,366 crore deal with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and South Korea’s Hanwha Defence. Adapted from the K9 Thunder, the Vajra was customized for India’s deserts and high-altitude regions like Ladakh, boasting a 40 km range with base-bleed ammunition and a rapid-fire capability of three rounds in 15 seconds. An additional order for 100 units was cleared in December 2024, reflecting its operational success along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). However, despite its 50%+ indigenization by L&T—including fire control and ammunition handling systems—the platform’s core design and initial batches remain tethered to South Korean technology.
For Baba and Amit Kalyani, this reliance on imports is a missed opportunity. “There’s no rational basis to import the K-9 Vajra when we have all the building blocks here,” Baba Kalyani stated, pointing to India’s advancements in artillery technology. Amit Kalyani echoed this, emphasizing, “From the 155mm barrel to the SPG platform itself, we’ve mastered the essentials domestically. Why look abroad?”
Bharat Forge has spent over a decade honing its artillery expertise, investing ?700-800 crore since 2011 to develop a suite of indigenous systems. The 155mm barrel technology is central to their argument—a critical component of modern SPHs. KSSL’s Bharat-52 and Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), both 155mm/52-caliber platforms, showcase this capability.
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