India’s private Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd has received its first export order for a batch of 155mm Domestically Designed and Manufactured (ATAGS) towed howitzers. This was reported today, November 10, by the Times of India.

The publication notes that India will for the first time start exporting artillery systems of its own production. The cost of howitzer deliveries will be $155 million, and they will be exported to a country “not located in the conflict zone” within three years. Import status is not specified.

“The supply of howitzers will be carried out under the Indian state program “Atamanirbhar Bharat” in accordance with India’s desire to promote the import of advanced military platforms of its own production”, – shown in Kalyani Stratigic Systems Ltd.

The company explained that the ATAGS artillery pieces with a range of 48 km are a joint development of the Indian Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), private companies Bharat Forge and Tata Advanced Systems.

The state program “Atamanirbhar Bharat” has been implemented since 2020 on the initiative of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to create and develop, inter alia, a modern national military-industrial complex for the design, development, certification and production in the country of the main types of weapons, including drones, fighters, tanks and submarines.

Over the past five years, India has reduced its arms imports by 21% and increased its arms exports by 334%. Indian arms importers are 75 countries. The Indian government plans to reach the country’s defense production level of $25 billion by 2027 and supply Indian weapons worth $5 billion abroad, cites sources. excerpts from a TASS publication.