In a deal worth $155 million (over Rs 1,200 crore) Pune-based Kalyani Strategic Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company has bagged an order from a non-conflict country for its indigenous 155mm Artillery Gun platform.
In a notification to Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) the Kalyani Group has specified that the order is from a Non-Conflict Zone and it will be executed over a period of three years.
According to a company note this deal with a country in a non-conflict zone is a testament to India’s push on exports of Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured (IDDM) advanced defence platforms from India as well as `Atmanirbhar Bharat’ agenda.
Though the company has not specified which country, but Kalyani Group has in a notification to BSE i.e. Bombay Stock Exchange stated that Kalyani Strategic Systems has been declared as a ‘Non-Conflict Zone’.
What is a non-conflict zone?
It means that the order is from a country whose geo-location is nowhere located in a war zone.
Where could this be?
According to sources, in 2020, the Kalyani Group had sent two Bharat 52 a 155mm, 52 caliber towed howitzer for trials to Saudi Arabia. Though the company notification has not mentioned the specific country, industry sources have indicated that the towed guns could be going to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. There is also no clarity on which artillery system is being exported and how many.
Saudi Arabia has already carried out trials in extreme temperatures of Bharat Forge’s Bharat 52, a 155 mm, 52 caliber towed howitzer. This is the first gun which has been manufactured by an Indian private sector company and has a range of about 41 kms and has the capability to fire six rounds in 50 seconds.
As reported earlier, the company is also making the indigenous ‘ATAGS’ (Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System) for the Indian Army. And earlier this year on the occasion of the Independence Day on August 15, it was this same gun which was used for giving the 21-gun salute from the Red Fort. The ATAGS has been developed in partnership with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
Apart from this, the M-4 Combat Vehicle of the Kalyani Group has been purchased by the Indian Army for the movement of troops on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) close to China in Eastern Ladakh.
What is the difference between ATAGS and Bharat 52?
The ATAGS which has cleared the Army’s firing trials is undergoing metallurgical tests and it has a firing range of 48 kms. As reported earlier in Financial Express Online this gun has other advanced features including advanced communication system; high mobility, quick deployability, auxiliary power mode, automatic command and control system and more.
Officials have earlier confirmed to Financial Express Online that compared to other gun systems of the same caliber globally, this is accurate and has consistent systems. The ATAGS, which has cleared the Indian Army’s firing trial, is currently under metallurgical tests.
The company has other gun systems of 155 mm, including the Ultra Light Howitzers and Mounted Guns.