A postwar blueprint
Drafted in 1999 after the Kargil war, the Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan aimed to replace weapons across 169 Indian Army artillery regiments. The success of India’s 155 mm Bofors guns helped shape a programme focused largely on modern 155 mm systems.
Many kinds of guns
The plan envisaged roughly 3,000–3,600 weapons, acquired through imports, licensed production, and domestic development. Its proposed mix included towed, truck-mounted, wheeled and tracked self-propelled, and ultra-light guns. The Artillery Profile 2027, drafted in 2008, further developed the acquisition plan.
Ambition meets delivery
New systems include the indigenous Dhanush and ATAGS, the tracked K9 Vajra-T produced with Indian industry, and US-made M777 ultra-light howitzers. Yet the programme has faced delays and production challenges. In 2023, India’s Comptroller and Auditor General reported that only 8% of planned howitzers had been received, with no clear outcome for much of the remaining proposed procurement.