Bharat Forge Limited has signed the largest-ever domestic defence contract for artillery systems with the Ministry of Defence, securing an order to supply 184 units of the indigenously developed Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS). The order, valued at INR 4,140 crore, represents 60 percent of the total INR 6,900 crore procurement cleared by the Ministry for this artillery system.
The ATAGS is a 155 mm, 52-calibre towed gun developed in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE). It features advanced firepower, mobility, and accuracy, offering a significant upgrade over existing artillery systems in service with the Indian Army. The system was designed to meet the Indian Army’s specific operational requirements, with a focus on both range and rate of fire.
Baba Kalyani, Chairman and Managing Director, Bharat Forge, emphasised that the successful development and procurement of ATAGS was possible due to consistent support from the Ministry of Defence, the Indian Army, DRDO, ARDE and Bharat Forge’s internal teams. He called it a moment of national significance and reiterated the company’s commitment to building advanced defence platforms within India.
This contract is expected to boost India’s domestic defence manufacturing capacity and is likely to create a multiplier effect on the local supply chain. It also represents a shift in defence procurement priorities towards systems that are developed and built in India, reducing dependence on foreign suppliers.
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