The Indian Army is weighing the acquisition of an additional 300 K-9 Vajra self-propelled howitzers in a deal estimated at 230 billion rupees ($2.42 billion). According to India Today, a proposal seeking approval for the program is expected to be presented to the Defence Procurement Board under the Ministry of Defence this week.
Should the plan receive clearance, Larsen & Toubro is likely to secure the contract. The company manufactures the K-9 Vajra in India through a technology collaboration with South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace.
The Indian Army currently fields 100 K-9 Vajra systems and placed an order for another 100 units in 2024. Expanding the fleet to as many as 500 howitzers would significantly strengthen India’s long-range artillery capabilities along its borders with Pakistan and China.
The K-9 Vajra is an Indian adaptation of South Korea’s K9 Thunder, developed to deliver deep-strike firepower while retaining high mobility across varied operational environments. Equipped with a 1,000-horsepower engine, the 50-ton platform can reach speeds of up to 67 kilometers per hour and operate over distances exceeding 360 kilometers.
Its 155mm main gun is capable of firing both conventional high-explosive and precision-guided munitions to ranges of up to 50 kilometers. The system can launch three rounds in 15 seconds and sustain firing rates of up to eight rounds per minute during short engagements. India selected the K-9 Vajra in 2015 after it outperformed Russia’s 2S19 Msta-S during comparative trials.
