With the delivery of 26 new Dhanush howitzers by Advanced Weapons and Equipment India (AWEIL) during the current fiscal year, the Indian Army's artillery capabilities are expected to be greatly enhanced. With this delivery, the Army will have 50 Dhanush guns in service overall, which is a significant step towards meeting their order of 114 guns.
However, due to sourcing issues for a vital spare required in a sub-assembly, production was delayed. Since parts are obtained from both foreign and Indian private vendors, the particular delay resulted from an Indian private vendor's inability to quickly obtain the required spare from a foreign source.
In spite of this short-term setback, the Dhanush howitzer is still a big improvement over the Swedish Bofors. With a larger 155×45 calibre and a more sophisticated mechanism than the Bofors' 155×39, the Dhanush offers much improved range and firing performance.
The ongoing arrival of Dhanush howitzers is a major step towards modernising the Indian Army's artillery and making sure it can continue to protect national security. The Dhanush's sophisticated features and capabilities give the Army a formidable weapon system that it can use to counter changing threats and keep a decisive advantage in future battles.
