India may fast-track acquisition of US light howitzers

New Delhi: It appears very likely that India may fast-track acquisition of Ultra Light Howitzer artillery systems for its army and that this contract may very likely go to the US-based BAE Land Systems. Its readiness to strike this particular deal may be conveyed in some form or the other during US defence secretary Robert Gates' visit to New Delhi.

M-777A- Image: BAE Land Systems

BAE Land Systems supplies the highly rated M-777A1 ultra-light howitzers.

It's now being given to understand that the transaction may involve import of 145 air-mobile ultra-light howitzers (ULHs) for around Rs2,900 crore in a direct government-to-government deal. The deal acquires particular urgency for the army as its ambitious programme to upgrade its artillery systems has been hanging fire for an inordinately long period.

In a time honoured fashion, which attends all defence deals in this country, strategically timed scandals erupt in some form or the other to interrupt what has now become a thoroughly bureaucratised process, where the modalities of acquisition have become more sacrosanct than the acquisition itself.

The Indian Army has been trying for long to get its Rs20,000 crore artillery modernisation programme into motion. This involves acquisition of different types of 155mm/52-calibre guns.