CCS greenlights procurement of 100 K-9 Vajra howitzers for Indian Army in Rs 6,500 crore defence boost

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the procurement of 100 K-9 Vajra self-propelled howitzers for the Indian Army on Thursday, at a cost of Rs 6,500 crore.

New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the procurement of 100 K-9 Vajra self-propelled howitzers for the Indian Army on Thursday, at a cost of Rs 6,500 crore. This decision follows the earlier deployment of 100 K-9 Vajra howitzers along the borders with China and Pakistan.

Talking about the proposal, an official said: “It is done in quest to further strengthen the country’s defence arsenal and the Indian Army’s operational capability.”

About K-9 Vajra self-propelled howitzers

Weighing 50 tonnes, the K-9 Vajra is capable of firing shells over 50 kilometers. The first K-9 Vajra self-propelled howitzer was inducted in 2018 and has since become one of the Indian Army's most effective weapons.

Manufactured by Larsen & Toubro (L&T), the K-9 Vajra is a 155-mm, 52-caliber tracked self-propelled howitzer, with technology sourced from South Korea’s Hanwha Defense, based on the K9 Thunder system.

Originally designed for desert operations, the K-9 Vajra was deployed at high altitudes along the India-China border in eastern Ladakh following the border standoff.