Israel may supply India major infantry guns |
The Indian Army has issued a fresh Request for Information to acquire a 155mm/52 caliber towed gun system for modernizing artillery regiments. The RFI opens up a new avenue to Israeli firm Elbit whose Autonomous Towed Howitzer Ordnance System (ATHOS) was in the reckoning for a mega contract from the Indian Army for over a decade. This comes even as Indian firms - Kalyani Group and TATA - have collaborated with the DRDO to develop the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), which was used for the ceremonial firing on Independence Day at the Red Fort. Issued on 20th December, the RFI notes that the weight of the gun system “be preferably less than 15 tons”. And this clause is why the Israeli firm, which has a tie-up with the Adani Group, is back in the race for supplying the ATHOS to the Indian Army. Given that the ATHOS weighs less than 15 tons while the ATAGS is well over 18 tons, industry sources see the new RFI as an opening for the Israeli weapon system. The 155mm x 52 calibers towed artillery gun figured in the first negative list of defense imports. But a rule was introduced allowing armed forces to import defense equipment in certain circumstances even if it figures in the negative import list.
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