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The Army will get its first made in India self-propelled howitzers next year. Larsen & Toubro has signed a deal with Hanwha Techwin of South Korea to jointly manufacture guns urgently required to maintain a conventional edge over Pakistan.
According to Economic Times, L&T announced a contract with the Korean defence firm to execute an order for 100 ‘K 9 Vajra T’ howitzers by the Army. The order is worth Rs 45 billion for the first batch, with additional numbers likely to be added over the next few years to meet the requirements for a fast moving, mobile artillery gun on the border.
While the first 10 howitzers will be made at the engineering conglomerate’s plant in Talegaon near Pune, the remaining would be manufactured at a greenfield facility in Hazira, Gujarat.
The gun will have over 50 per cent indigenous content.
L&T is looking at a long-term partnership with Hanwha Techwin, which could lead to larger collaboration on land-based military systems to tap the growing Indian market, officials said.
A larger collaboration between the two companies could include future orders from the Army for mobile air defence systems and similar artillery requirements.
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The two companies are also looking at an overseas market for the K 9 Vajra T that has been specially modified for Indian conditions. Potential clients include nations in the Middle East that have similar requirements.
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