A plan shaped by Kargil
Drafted in 1999 after the Kargil war, the Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan (FARP) aims to replace weapons across 169 Indian Army artillery regiments. The success of the 155 mm Bofors guns in service helped orient the effort toward modern weapons, predominantly of 155 mm calibre. Procurement was to combine direct imports, licensed manufacture, and systems developed within India.
The plan envisaged approximately 3,000–3,600 weapons, with an initial mix of towed, mounted, self-propelled wheeled, self-propelled tracked, and ultra-light guns. The Artillery Profile 2027, drafted in 2008, further elaborated the acquisition programme.
Building a varied arsenal
India’s towed-gun efforts include the Dhanush, developed for domestic production, and the DRDO-led ATAGS, created with industry partners. The army has also sought large numbers of towed and mounted 155 mm guns, with tenders setting requirements for range, weight, endurance, and compatibility with ammunition already in service.
For tracked artillery, India selected the K9 Vajra-T, developed in partnership with South Korea’s Hanwha and manufactured in India by Larsen & Toubro. The design was adapted for Indian conditions, including desert heat, and later underwent high-altitude trials. The ultra-light M777 followed a different path: after years of negotiations and changes to the procurement process, India ordered 145 guns, with some assembled in India.
The distance between plan and reality
The programme has involved repeated approvals, trials, contracts, and production schedules. Dhanush manufacturing was interrupted by a shortage of a spare part, while early production was marked by gun-related accidents. Procurement of the M777 was postponed and restarted several times before completion in 2023.
In 2023, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India reported that just 8% of the howitzers planned for purchase had been received, and that the outcome of the remaining 77% of proposed procurement was unclear. FARP’s defining challenge is therefore not only choosing new weapons, but converting a vast modernization blueprint into equipment that reaches artillery units.