In a significant boost to India’s domestic defence industry, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved a long-awaited deal on Wednesday to acquire 307 Advanced Towed Artillery Gun Systems (ATAGS) for the Indian Army. The ₹7,000 crore contract will soon be signed between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and leading Indian defence firms—Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited (KSSL), a subsidiary of Bharat Forge, and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL).
The ATAGS is a 155mm/52-caliber towed artillery gun system developed indigenously in India. Designed for deployment along the borders with China and Pakistan, it represents a key step in India’s efforts to become self-reliant in defence manufacturing. The contract will be split 60:40 between KSSL and TASL. Pune-based Bharat Forge, the lowest bidder, will produce 60% of the guns, while TASL, the second-lowest bidder, will manufacture the remaining 40%.
Beyond this order, the Indian Army has also floated a tender for an additional 400 howitzers. Key defence firms, including Bharat Forge, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Adani Defence, and the Ordnance Factory Board, are competing for this contract.
The ATAGS program for 155 mm/52-caliber guns and gun-towing vehicles (GTVs) received the Ministry of Defence’s Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) in March 2023. Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with Bharat Forge and Tata Group, ATAGS is a crucial element of India’s indigenous defense capabilities.
Bharat Forge has already made a mark internationally, securing an export order for ATAGS from Armenia in 2022. With successful operational performance, Armenia is reportedly considering a follow-on order for a larger batch.
The ATAGS boasts a firing range of 35 to 45 km, depending on the type of ammunition used, and even achieved a record 47 km during trials. These advanced artillery guns are being procured nearly 12 years after their development began. Initially showcased at the 2017 Republic Day Parade, it took eight years for the system to finally receive procurement approval.
Nearly 12 years after its development started, the procurement of ATAGS (Advance Towed Artillery Gun System) has become a reality. With the CCS clearing the buy, the nearly 7,000-crore deal should be signed between MoD and KSSL (Bharat Forge) and Tata Advance System Ltd soon.…
— Nitin A. Gokhale (@nitingokhale) March 20, 2025
This acquisition marks a major milestone in India’s push for defence indigenization and modernizing the Army’s artillery capabilities.
Ravi Shankar
