India’s artillery modernisation received a significant boost on 26 October when the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared an Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) worth more than ₹20,000 crore for the acquisition of 335 additional K-9 Vajra self-propelled howitzers, Tfipost reported.

The proposal forms part of a broader procurement package valued at roughly ₹2.12 lakh crore, with nearly 82 per cent earmarked for Indian industry. Defence officials have described it as the largest artillery procurement initiative undertaken in decades.

However, the clearance does not amount to a confirmed purchase. An AoN represents the initial stage of the acquisition process and must still be followed by requests for proposals, trials, commercial negotiations and final contract approval. Consequently, the 335 guns have not yet been formally ordered, and no delivery timeline currently exists.

Even so, the decision carries considerable importance. The Vajra platform has established a strong record for rapid procurement and induction. The first batch of 100 guns was contracted in 2017 and delivered ahead of schedule by February 2021.

A further contract worth ₹7,629 crore for another 100 guns was signed in December 2024. Although originally intended for desert operations, the guns were later deployed to Ladakh following heightened tensions along the border with China.

The Vajra’s appeal lies largely in its low-risk profile. Based on South Korea’s battle-proven K9 Thunder and manufactured in India by Larsen & Toubro under licence, the program avoided many of the development uncertainties associated with entirely new weapon systems. The initial ten units were supplied by Hanwha, while the remainder were produced domestically. Indigenous content has steadily increased with successive orders, and the latest proposal aims to exceed 70 per cent localisation.

For military planners tasked with maintaining readiness along an extended and active frontier with China, such predictability is highly valuable. The Army can expand a proven capability with confidence regarding performance, timelines and operational outcomes.

The experience of the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) has been markedly different. Conceived in 2013 as a collaborative effort between DRDO, Bharat Forge and Tata Advanced Systems, the project was intended to become India's first fully indigenous 155 mm artillery gun.

Its development, however, encountered repeated setbacks. A barrel burst during trials in September 2020 injured four soldiers. In 2021, the Army reportedly concluded that the gun had fallen short of certain requirements during summer trials. Concerns were also raised regarding critical performance parameters and the system’s weight, which stands at approximately 18 tons.

These challenges contributed to years of procurement delays despite substantial progress in testing. Critics argued that manufacturing facilities remained underutilised because firm domestic orders were not forthcoming, even as the system secured export interest from Armenia.

A breakthrough finally arrived in March 2025 when the Ministry of Defence signed a contract worth approximately ₹6,900 crore covering 307 ATAGS guns and 327 high-mobility towing vehicles. Reports indicated that Bharat Forge would manufacture 184 guns, while Tata Advanced Systems would produce 123. The Ministry described the agreement as the first major procurement of towed artillery guns from India's private sector.

Despite the contract signature, operational induction remains the key unanswered question. The project director stated that the first regiment of 18 guns would enter service within a year of the successful completion of the "first of product model test", with February 2027 identified as the target.

Since that milestone has not yet arrived, it would be inaccurate to describe the current schedule as delayed. Nevertheless, the program remains significantly behind its original ambitions, and no guns will enter active service until the required testing phase is completed.

Weight continues to be viewed as the program’s principal structural challenge. To address Army requirements for a lighter artillery system, DRDO is developing the Advanced Light Towed Gun System (ALTGS), designed to weigh less than 15 tons.

Internal trials are expected by late 2026, and induction could occur between 2029 and 2030 if development proceeds as planned. The initiative suggests the Army views the existing ATAGS primarily as a system for plains and desert sectors while seeking a lighter alternative better suited to mountain operations.

The comparison between Vajra and ATAGS highlights the broader realities of defence procurement. A licensed and battle-tested platform can typically be expanded more quickly and with fewer uncertainties. By contrast, a domestically developed system that has encountered accidents, trial difficulties and prolonged order delays is likely to face greater scrutiny, regardless of its long-term potential.

Importantly, the two systems are not direct competitors. The tracked, self-propelled Vajra and the towed ATAGS are designed to perform different battlefield functions. The Army’s wider artillery modernisation strategy envisions both systems serving alongside mounted gun systems and ultra-light howitzers.

Ultimately, the true measure of India's indigenous artillery ambitions will not be determined by the size of the latest Vajra proposal. It will depend on whether ATAGS successfully completes its remaining milestones, raises its first regiment on schedule and demonstrates the field performance envisioned by its designers.

If the February 2027 target is achieved, the program will have crossed a critical threshold. If further delays emerge, arguments that indigenous weapon development continues to suffer from avoidable penalties are likely to gain renewed force.

Agencies