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In a significant step towards enhancing India's indigenous defence capabilities, Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited (KSSL), the defence arm of Bharat Forge, has shown its intention to develop a tracked, self-propelled howitzer based on the acclaimed Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS).
This strategic move aims to provide the Indian Army with a highly mobile and powerful artillery platform suited for diverse terrains and modern warfare scenarios, while also strengthening India's position in the global arms export market.
The new initiative builds upon the proven success of the 155mm/52-caliber ATAGS, a state-of-the-art towed gun developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in partnership with KSSL and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL).
The ATAGS is celebrated for its world-class performance, including a remarkable firing range of over 48 kilometres, a high rate of fire, and advanced automation.
The Indian Army has already placed an order for 307 of these systems to modernise its artillery regiments, underscoring the platform's reliability and strategic importance.
KSSL's ambition to create a tracked variant leverages its extensive experience in artillery manufacturing. The company has already successfully produced a truck-mounted version, the Multi-terrain Artillery Gun (MArG), which demonstrates its capacity for integrating powerful gun systems with mobile platforms.
The proposed tracked howitzer would combine the formidable firepower of the ATAGS with the superior all-terrain mobility and crew protection of a tracked chassis, similar to a tank. This would offer a significant tactical advantage over traditional towed guns, which require more time to deploy and are more vulnerable on the battlefield.
This development aligns with the Indian Army's long-term Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan, which seeks to induct advanced and versatile gun systems. A tracked howitzer offers distinct advantages in rugged and mountainous regions, where mobility is a critical factor.
The project also has substantial potential on the international stage. Kalyani Group has already made significant inroads into the export market, securing a landmark $155.5 million contract with Armenia for its artillery systems in recent years.
A cost-effective, high-performance tracked howitzer based on the ATAGS platform is expected to attract considerable interest from nations looking to modernise their own armed forces.
A primary challenge for KSSL will be the selection of a suitable tracked vehicle platform for the gun system.
The company could pursue a fully indigenous solution, possibly collaborating with Indian public sector undertakings like Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), which supplies high-mobility vehicles for other military systems.
Alternatively, it could follow the successful model of partnership seen in other Indian defence projects, such as the collaboration between Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and South Korea's Hanwha Defense to produce the K9 Vajra-T self-propelled howitzers for the Indian Army.
The final choice of chassis, along with development timelines and costs, will be crucial factors in bringing this next-generation artillery system to fruition.
