Editorial: Symbol of self-reliance

For the first time, the Independence Day celebrations witnessed the display of an indigenously developed artillery gun at the iconic Red Fort. It was truly a proud moment for the defence research community as the Advanced Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) demonstrated the country’s prowess in developing arms and ammunition indigenously. This also reflects a key […]

For the first time, the Independence Day celebrations witnessed the display of an indigenously developed artillery gun at the iconic Red Fort. It was truly a proud moment for the defence research community as the Advanced Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) demonstrated the country’s prowess in developing arms and ammunition indigenously. This also reflects a key success for the initiative to promote self-reliance in the defence sector. The ATAGS has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) with its Pune-based facility Armament Research and Development Establishment being the nodal agency. The 155 mm calibre gun system is capable of hitting targets from 45-48 km and has advanced features like high mobility, quick deployability, auxiliary power mode, advanced communication system, automatic command and control system with night capability in direct-fire mode. It has at least 20% more than ranges achieved by any contemporary gun system and is configured with all-electric drive to ensure maintenance-free and reliable operation over a longer period. The howitzer gun, which will eventually replace older guns with the Army, is currently undergoing quality control evaluation and has been designed to work in extreme weather conditions. The ATAGS project was started in 2013 by the DRDO to replace older guns with a modern 155 mm artillery gun. After several tests of the subsystems in the initial phases of development, July 2016 marked a key milestone when the proof-firing of ATAGS was conducted during the technical trials at DRDO’s Proof and Experimental Establishment in Balasore. The system has subsequently undergone various levels of trials in different weather and terrain conditions.

The indigenous artillery guns are now undergoing an evaluation by the Directorate General Quality Assurance marking its final stage before the Army places orders. It is hoped that the two flagship products under the ‘Make In India’ initiative — ATAGS and Dhanush, another howitzer gun — will successfully replace the older systems from the artillery in the coming days. Working towards achieving self-reliance in the defence sector is an important mission for India, particularly because it figures among the world’s largest arms importers. In this context, the defence ministry’s recent nod for projects worth Rs 76,390 crore, including the construction of eight next-generation corvettes for the navy, procurement of wheeled armoured fighting vehicles, and the manufacture of Dornier aircraft and Sukhoi-30 MKI aero-engines by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, will help boost efforts towards indigenisation of military platforms and promote the cause of ‘Atmanirbharta’ in defence manufacturing. In the last eight years, the expenditure on the capital procurement of defence equipment from domestic vendors has generally remained higher compared to that from foreign entities. The Ukraine war has brought home the stark reality that India is too dependent on foreign defence imports, particularly from Russia.

---