NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Defence on Friday signed a contract with Larsen & Toubro for procurement of 155 mm/52 calibre K9 VAJRA-T Self-Propelled Tracked Artillery Guns for the Indian Army under Buy (Indian) category at a total cost of ₹7,628.70 crore.
The contract was signed by senior officials of the ministry and representatives of L&T in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in South Block, New Delhi.
The procurement of K9 VAJRA-T will catalyse the artillery modernisation and enhance overall operational readiness of the Indian Army.
This versatile artillery gun, with its cross-country mobility, will play a pivotal role in enhancing the firepower of the Indian Army, enabling deeper strike with precision and its lethal firepower will bolster the capability of artillery in all terrains, the ministry said in a statement.
The gun being equipped with cutting-edge technology is capable of delivering long-range lethal fires with high accuracy and higher rate of fire and will be able to operate in sub-zero temperature in high-altitude areas to its full potential, it said.
The project will generate an employment of more than nine lakh man-days over a period of four years and encourage active participation of various Indian industries including MSMEs. The project will be a proud flag-bearer of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ in consonance with the ‘Make-in-India’ initiative, it added.
