Indian Army to order Dhanush artillery guns after trials

The Indian Army would place an order worth Rs 1, 200 crore to get Dhanush artillery guns after their confirmatory trials are over early next year, reported PTI.

According to defence sources, if the confirmatory test of the indigenously-developed guns comes out as positive, it will pave the way for Bulk Production Clearance (BPC).

Under the first phase, the army will place an order for 114 such guns with the Ordnance Factories Board.

"The confirmatory trials are going on after and if they prove to be successful, the guns will go in for bulk production for the army," sources told PTI.

The Gun Carriage Factory, Jabalpur, plans to supply 6 guns within 6 months, another 12 within the next one year before ramping up the production.

It is important to know that Dhanush would be the first artillery gun to be acquired by the Indian Army since the purchase of Bofors guns from Sweden in 1987.

It is a modified version of the Bofors and already underwent winter trials in 2013 and summer trials in 2014.

Earlier this year, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said the test for the 155/45mm caliber Dhanush gun was successful.

According to sources, minor changes were done following the trials, following which the confirmation trials have begun.

OFB is a conglomerate of 39 ordnance factories with another two new projects being set up at Nalanda in Bihar and Korwa in Uttar Pradesh.

(Image: Ministry of Defence)