The Indian Army’s artillery modernisation plan — first drafted over two decades ago — is back in the spotlight following a report that the indigenously developed Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) is ready to fire again after an accident in September.
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The Business Standard report has stated that the gun has undergone changes — after a barrel burst during trials in September — and is ready to fire again. The September incident was followed by a detailed probe conducted by a multi-agency Failure Investigation Committee and the changes have followed that.
India’s artillery acquisition had stalled for nearly two decades after the Swedish Bofors guns were acquired in the late 1980s. The deal was mired in corruption allegations and it led to a fear in the civil services, which, combined with political apathy, prevented India from buying heavy guns at least until 2010.
The Bofors guns proved their mettle during the 1999 Kargil conflict, particularly with their “shoot-and-scoot” technology — the ability to fire a shell and then move away from the location by up to three kilometres.
The Army subsequently in 1999 drafted a Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan to acquire around 3,000 pieces of 155 mm weaponry, including tracked self-propelled guns, truck-mounted gun systems, towed artillery pieces and wheeled self-propelled guns in over two decades.
The plan was to have 1,580 towed gun systems, 814 mounted gun systems, 100 self-propelled Howitzers and 145 M777 155mm/39 calibre lightweight Howitzers for the mountains.
This meant equipping 169 artillery regiments with medium artillery weapons or as defence experts put it, a “mediumisation” of artillery.
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Army officers say that while the artillery modernisation plan progressed at a snail’s place until about 2010-2011, it has gained momentum in the last few years.
A senior officer from the artillery regiment told ThePrint that the modernisation plan has progressed rapidly in the last five years with faster orders and inductions of the M777 Ultra Lightweight Howitzers and the indigenously-built Dhanush guns.
“The modernisation plan is being taken forward keeping in mind the Make in India programme,” the officer said, adding that there is a push to manufacture indigenous ammunition.
Lt Gen P.R. Shankar (retd), former director general of artillery, said the latest artillery profile — or the artillery profile 2027 (an acquisition plan) — was drafted in 2008 and the modernisation plan was progressing in line with that.
“Among all arms and services, I would say the artillery modernisation has progressed according to plan,” he said.
Asked if the Army has the desired strength of guns, he said the force already had guns. “But they were old guns. The modern guns will have an advantage over them,” he added. “After 2000, there were several failed attempts at modernisation of artillery. Even the indigenous scene was not great.
“However after 2010, the whole scene changed. We had five major 155 mm gun programmes going, and all of them succeeded,” he said. “We could procure the M777 through the FMS route (the US’ foreign military sales route) and some are deployed in Eastern Ladakh. Induction of K9 Vajra is on schedule and will finish by March 2021.”
He added that Dhanush induction has commenced. “Production of upgunned Sharang has also started. ATAGS is on the verge of trials,” he said. “Our rocket and missile programs are also going on track. We are going to have one of the most fearsome artilleries in the world.”
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