After a gap of almost 30 years, the Indian Army is set to induct its first batch of artillery guns in a formal ceremony scheduled to take place on November 9.
The Indian Army will get two new artillery guns – Ultralight Howitzer M-777 and Self-Propelled K-9 Vajra. The army will induct 100 self-propelled K9 Vajra guns and 145 M-777 guns, in presence of Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Army Chief General Bipin Rawat at the School of Artillery near Nashik in Maharashtra.
India has signed a contract with the United States of America for 145 M-777 guns, of which 25 guns will be brought to India in combat-ready condition. The remaining 125 guns will be made in India with the help of Mahindra Defense. The supply of the guns is expected to begin in March 2019.
The guns will help Indian forces to target the enemy even in hilly regions. Both the guns are of 155mm caliber and have a maximum range of 30 kilometers. They will mostly be used by India’s first mountain strike corps in combat-like situations with neighboring China.
K9 Vajra is a tracked self-propelled gun being built with the help of South Korea. Each such gun can move at a speed of 67 km per hour, irrespective of the landscape and terrain, with five personnel in each. They can target enemy positions at a distance of 30-40 km.
