India to procure US ultra light howitzer guns for Indian army

                                                               

14 Jan 2010: Asian Defence reports that the Indian government has given the go ahead to procure 145 BAE land systems manufactured ultra light M777 howitzers from the US. The procurement of the artillery guns would be done through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route. The FMS route is a US program to sell military hardware directly to the governments bypassing the system of competitive bidding. The situation is so dire that it was recently reported that the armed forces are bringing out RussianWWII-era guns out of storage and repairing these. 

Very senior officials informed 8ak that even though the FMS route has been unpopular as international vendors complain about denial of opportunity and the lack of transparency, the Indian government's failed procurement process in regards these howitzers has left it with no other option.  

The source further said that in such deals the governments of vendor nations tend to interfere and give assurances of making some concessions at international forums on issues faced by the buyer nation or even backing the latter in their problem areas. Considering that India is vying a permanent seat in the Security Council and is seeking America’s support in cornering Pakistan, the deal should not come as a surprise. With the previous purchases from Boeing also being under FMS, the question being asked is that is India using FMS as a route to a permanent seat to the UN security council? This would really piss off the major European vendors who might have superior products but will lose out.

The procurement of the ultra light howitzers is an important step in the upgrade plan of the Indian army’s artillery as no new artillery gun has been inducted ever since the infamous Rs 1,437 crore Bofors contract for 410 field howitzers became a major scandal in 1986. It may be interesting to note that Bofors has been bought over by BAE land systems. The M777 uses a digital fire-control system similar to that found on self propelled howitzers such as the M109A6 Paladin to provide navigation, pointing and self-location, allowing it to be put into action more quickly than other similar towed and air-transported howitzers. 

The security apparatus of India is being revamped by the authorities with prime focus on increasing the deterrence capability and devising a plan which ensures swift mobilisation of troops and armaments if a war breaks out. Recently, the war doctrine was also revamped to focus on both, Pakistan and China, if war breaks out on its borders simultaneously. 

The government has allotted US$4 billion for purchasing 200 motorised howitzers followed by indigenous production of 614 guns under transfer of technology. The government also plans to induct 2,814 guns of different type to over haul the army’s artillery regiments in the long run. Several other ongoing artillery upgrade projects yet to be finalised are the purchase of 100 155mm/52-calibre self-propelled tracked guns, its field trials are slated for May-June 2010 and the Rs 8,000 crore project to buy 400 155mm/52-caliber towed artillery guns, which will be followed by indigenous manufacture of another 1,180 howitzers. 

STK Pegasus, Israeli Soltam and BAE systems are bidding for the Indian artillery projects. Initially, STK had been blacklisted from taking part in the process but due to a single-vendor situation, the government amended a law that prohibited companies under investigation from taking part in the government projects. However, the deal, if selected, will only be signed with STK once CBI clears the Singaporean company of all charges levelled against it.