Indian Army Seeks 400 New Howitzers from Local Companies
The Indian Army has issued a tender to purchase 400 howitzers from Indian firms to promote locally designed and developed weapons. The 155 mm/52 calibre Towed Gun System will be lighter and more versatile.
Companies like Bharat Forge, Larsen and Toubro, Adani, and Ordnance Factory Board have received the tender. This move is part of the Army’s plan to modernize with indigenous guns, aiming for completion by 2042.
Doubts Revealed
Howitzers -: Howitzers are big guns used by the army to shoot shells over long distances. They are usually used in wars to hit targets that are far away.
Tender -: A tender is like an official request from the government asking companies to offer their products or services. In this case, the Indian Army is asking companies to provide howitzers.
155 mm/52 calibre -: This is a way to describe the size and power of the howitzer. ‘155 mm’ is the diameter of the shell it fires, and ’52 calibre’ means the length of the gun barrel is 52 times the diameter of the shell.
Bharat Forge -: Bharat Forge is a big Indian company that makes parts for cars, trains, and also weapons for the army.
Larsen and Toubro -: Larsen and Toubro, often called L&T, is a large Indian company that works in construction, engineering, and making machines, including weapons.
Adani -: Adani is a big Indian company that works in many areas like energy, resources, logistics, and now also in making weapons.
Ordnance Factory Board -: The Ordnance Factory Board is a group of factories in India that make weapons and equipment for the Indian armed forces.
Indigenous -: Indigenous means something that is made or developed within the country. Here, it means the howitzers are designed and made in India.