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New Delhi: With the government speeding up the purchase of the military hardware before the end of this fiscal, the Indian Army will soon get 145 ultra-light howitzers from the US in its arsenal. The deal is worth $ 647 million.
While the Indian defence acquisitions committee (DAC) decided to take the foreign military sales (FMS) route, the Pentagon has notified the US Congress of a possible sale of 145 state-of-the-art lightweight towed Howitzers to India.
Describing India as an important force for “political stability, peace, and economic progress in South Asia”, the Defence Security Cooperation Agency told the Congress, “India intends to use the howitzers to modernise its armed forces and enhance its ability to operate in hazardous conditions.”
A foreign military sale is a US programme of government-to-government sales of military hardware bypassing a lengthy system of competitive bidding.
Since one of the principal contractors will be US-based BAE of Hattiesburg and Mississippi, company’s official spokesman in New Delhi Guy Douglas told FE, “M777 is, by some considerable margin, the lightest 155 mm howitzer in the world and the only system proven in battle. A procurement of M777 should be seen as a victory in procuring the best equipment for the Indian armed forces.”
“Significant work share would be completed in India by the Mahindra and BAE Systems JV company—the intention is that the JV company will become an Indian centre of excellence for artillery systems,” Douglas added.
Initially, there were two different ultra-light howitzers in competition for the Indian Army’s estimated artillery modernisation programme —Singapore-based ST Kinetics’ Pegasus and BAE Land Systems’ M777 made in the US.
While ST Kinetics was blacklisted last year after the company figured in CBI investigations, the DAC decided to go the FMS route before Prime minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to that country.
The Army wants to buy 145 ultra-light howitzers, 158 towed and wheeled, 100 tracked, and 180 wheeled and armoured guns in the first phase as part of its field artillery rationalisation plan, the programme to upgrade its artillery divisions.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress on January 22, “This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the US helping to strengthen the US-India strategic relationship and to improve the security of an important partner which continues to be an important force for political stability, peace, and economic progress in South Asia.”
In a notification, it said, “India intends to...
