India's top military research body, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has unveiled the price for its new, indigenously developed mobile artillery gun, revealing it to be one of the most economical options on the global market.
Officials at the Vehicle Research and Development Establishment (VRDE), a DRDO laboratory, confirmed that the 155mm/52 calibre Mounted Gun System (MGS), which uses the core technology of the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), will cost approximately Rs 15 crore ($1.74 million) per unit.
This competitive pricing positions the system as a highly attractive choice for the Indian Army compared to more expensive foreign platforms.
The remarkable cost-effectiveness of the Indian MGS becomes clear when compared with its international counterparts.
According to publicly available export market data, the French Caesar system is priced at $4.26 million, Ukraine's 2S22 Bohdana at $2.5 million, the Serbian Nora B-52 at $7.06 million, and the highly advanced Swedish Archer system at $10.41 million per unit.
At just $1.74 million, the ATAGS-based MGS, a collaborative effort with private firm Bharat Forge and mounted on an 8x8 high-mobility truck from Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML), offers a significant financial advantage without compromising on modern firepower and mobility.
First displayed at DefExpo 2022, the gun system is a critical component of the Indian Army's Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan (FARP), a long-term strategy to modernise its artillery corps. The plan includes the acquisition of 814 mounted gun systems, and the new DRDO platform is a leading contender.
The MGS system is engineered for modern warfare, capable of firing three rounds in a rapid 30-second burst and transitioning from travel to combat-ready mode in only 80 seconds. This allows for "shoot-and-scoot" tactics, where the gun can fire on a target and quickly relocate to avoid counter-battery fire.
With a maximum range of 35 to 45 kilometres depending on the ammunition used, the 30-tonne vehicle is designed to operate effectively in diverse environments, from deserts to high-altitude mountain ranges.
A key factor behind the system's low cost is its high degree of localisation. Up to 85% of its components, including the complex barrel, muzzle brake, and recoil mechanism, are manufactured in India. This reduces import dependency and ensures a secure supply chain for maintenance and spares.
Bharat Forge, which is already set to produce 307 towed ATAGS units for the army, is also spearheading the production of the MGS through a technology transfer from DRDO.
Furthermore, the system is fully compatible with the Indian Army’s indigenous ‘Shakti’ Artillery Combat Command and Control System (ACCCS), which uses sophisticated software and electronics to enhance targeting precision and operational coordination, acting as a force multiplier on the battlefield.
While competing global systems have their strengths, they come with substantial trade-offs.
The French Caesar is battle-proven, notably in the Ukraine conflict, but its price is more than double that of the Indian MGS. The Swedish Archer boasts a fully automated loading system but is the most expensive and is known to be maintenance-intensive.
The Ukrainian and Serbian systems, while capable, do not offer India the strategic benefits of a domestic manufacturing ecosystem provided by the ATAGS MGS.
The Indian Army is scheduled to begin extensive user trials of the MGS in 2026. This follows a series of successful internal validation trials at facilities in Balasore and Pokhran, where the gun has already fired over 100 rounds.
The platform is built to withstand extreme operational conditions, from -4°C to +45°C, and is equipped with an inertial navigation system for autonomous positioning and advanced day-night firing controls, making it a versatile and powerful asset for deployment along India’s northern and western borders.
