NEW DELHI: With the onset of India-China standoff in May 2020, the Indian Army pushed for its Artillery Gun deployments along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). It was the fast pace of road construction by the Border roads Organisation (BRO) which helped these guns reach those designated points.
Speaking to media on the eve of the 195th Gunners Day Lt Gen TK Chawla, Director General Artillery said that guns have been deployed well but the access to other critical areas continues to be a problem and more guns will be deployed.
"Border Roads is doing a lot of effort to build the network in far flung areas. I think this effort will continue and we can get guns in more areas." he added.
Gunners Day is celebrated to mark the anniversary of the raising of the oldest Indian Mountain Battery (5th Bombay Mountain Battery).
Till now three regiments of the Ultra Light Howitzers have been raised and the process for the fourth regiment has begun. Keeping the mobility "majority of these guns have been deployed along the Line of Actual Control," informed Lt Gen Chawla.
The M777 Howitzer is a 155mm 39 calibre towed gun, highly portable guns and can be easily shifted by the recently inducted Chinook helicopters.
Adding on the firepower, DG Artillery informed he himself reviewed the status in Eastern Ladakh.
"The 105mm guns are still very much robust with a very high angle of firing which is very essential in the mountains." he said. As and when the other guns move in enough numbers they will be replacing the 105mm guns, the DG added.
Talking about the induction of indigenous artillery systems, the DG informed that while some projects have fructified some others are facing challenges for which the Indian Army is doing hand holding.
"A lot of handholding has been done by the Army, both for Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) and Dhanush. I had a detailed discussion last week with the OFB (Ordnance Factory Board) and ARDE (Armament Research and Development Establishment of DRDO)," said Lt Gen Chawala.
The project of the K9 Vajra howitzers, manufactured by L&T in collaboration with a South Korean firm, has been completed. Also, US manufactured M-777, assembled by India’s Mahindra Defence, the Director General Artillery is getting delivered with some hiccups arising only due to the Covid Pandemic.
DRDO has been given inputs wherever qualitative changes are required. DRDO is developing the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) and Dhanush Gun Systems.
Indian Army is going ahead as per its Field Artillery Rationalisation Programme (FARP) approved in 1999. As per the plan a mix of around 3,000-3,600 howitzers were to be procured by 2025-27. But the plan is facing challenges due to tow of its indigenous programmes.