SOURCE: AFI
In response to the evolving global security landscape and lessons drawn from conflicts like the Russia-Ukraine war, India is ramping up its artillery capabilities with a focus on long-range, high-volume firepower. The ongoing major capability development plan for the Indian Army’s artillery regiments includes the procurement of various advanced weaponry and surveillance systems to enhance precision-strike capabilities against adversaries.
As part of this plan, India has initiated the procurement of approximately 300 indigenous advanced towed artillery gun systems (ATAGS) and 300 mounted gun systems (MGS). Request for proposals (RFPs) has been issued for these 155mm/52-calibre guns. The ATAGS, with a maximum strike range of 48 km, will be produced by Tata Advanced Systems and Bharat Forge. The initial order for 300 ATAGS is expected to increase, with the Army’s total requirement estimated at 1,580 guns.
Additionally, the Army is moving towards acquiring another 100 K-9 Vajra self-propelled tracked guns, known for their strike range of 28-38 km, through the joint venture between L&T and South Korean Hanwha Defence. These guns are being deployed in response to the ongoing military confrontation with China in eastern Ladakh.
Furthermore, the Indian Army plans to induct more regiments of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, whose strike range has been extended to 450 km. The Army will also receive the new Pralay conventional ballistic missiles (150 to 500 km range) in the near future. These efforts aim to provide a diverse mix of weaponry, including guns, missiles, and rockets, for its artillery regiments.
The Army is also focusing on enhancing force survivability with shoot-and-scoot techniques, especially after observing the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This revised artillery modernization plan emphasizes the need for more mounted and self-propelled guns.
In addition to these hardware upgrades, the Army is set to integrate a variety of drones and surveillance devices to improve target acquisition and accuracy. The ongoing reorganization of surveillance and target acquisition artillery units includes the induction of tactical remotely-piloted aircraft, loiter weapon systems, swarm drones, advanced weapon-locating radars, and battlefield surveillance radars, all contributing to a more effective, networked sensor-to-shooter linkage.
These measures underscore India’s commitment to enhancing its artillery capabilities to address evolving security challenges and maintain a credible deterrence posture in the region.