Pakistan Speeds Ahead in Mobile Artillery Race, Leaving India Trailing

Pakistan is rapidly bolstering its artillery forces with hundreds of advanced Chinese-made SH-15 155mm Mounted Gun Systems (MGS). These mobile, truck-based weapons offer a huge advantage over traditional towed guns, leaving India struggling to keep pace with its regional rival.

Shoot and Scoot: The MGS Advantage​

In modern warfare, artillery isn't just about firepower—it's about speed and survivability. MGS platforms can quickly fire a few rounds and then relocate before the enemy can pinpoint their origin and return fire.

This "shoot and scoot" tactic is far harder to execute with towed guns that require time-consuming setup and takedown. The risk is amplified by the rise of loitering munitions and armed drones, as vividly seen in recent conflicts.

Pakistan's Growing Arsenal​

Since 2018, Pakistan has inked deals with China for hundreds of SH-15 MGS units. These offer precision-guided munitions and a range exceeding 40 kilometers. Rumors suggest Pakistan's orders may top 400 units, outstripping India's limited fleet of K-9 Vajra-T tracked howitzers.

Reported deployment of the SH-15 near the Line of Control in 2023 adds to India's concerns, especially considering the Chinese artillery presence in Tibet.

India's Procurement Struggles​

India's ambitious plans for 814 MGS and 100 tracked howitzers have repeatedly stalled, hindered by slow bureaucratic processes. While reports of additional K-9 Vajra-T orders offer some hope, the timeline remains frustratingly uncertain.

Indian Industry: A Glimmer of Hope​

The one positive development lies in the growth of India's own artillery industry. Companies like Kalyani and Bharat Forge now produce advanced howitzers domestically.

Success hinges on the Indian Army's willingness to embrace these local capabilities and accelerate procurement. Failure to act could leave India dangerously outgunned, not only by China but by Pakistan as well.

 

[Anant]

Typical story of Indian defence procurement:

Where there is a requirement, there are delays.
Where there are no delays, there is a push for indigenous equipment which doesn't exist yet.
Where there is perfectly serviceable indigenous equipment that can be made available in numbers on time, there is no willpower.
Where there is willpower to get stuff, there is no funding.
Where there is funding, there is a push for local equipment.
Where there is a push for local equipment, there are delays.
Rinse, repeat, and mix those lines as needed.

That sums up a very large chunk of Indian defence procurement fairly well.

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

Typical story of Indian defence procurement:

Where there is a requirement, there are delays.
Where there are no delays, there is a push for indigenous equipment which doesn't exist yet.
Where there is perfectly serviceable indigenous equipment that can be made available in numbers on time, there is no willpower.
Where there is willpower to get stuff, there is no funding.
Where there is funding, there is a push for local equipment.
Where there is a push for local equipment, there are delays.
Rinse, repeat, and mix those lines as needed.

That sums up a very large chunk of Indian defence procurement fairly well.

There is a reason its called Import Army.

IA and IAF carry much more of the baggage of British legacy cmapred to IN and it shows.

After independence, our military should have undergone a major reshuffle. Old hierarchy based on region based regimental ethos should have been abandoned as these were designed to divide and not unite.

But our Chacha was more busy after independence with entertaining his foreign dignitaries showing the legendary Indian rope tricks and proving to the world how India was a country of snake charmers.

Where was the time to take strategic decisions.

 

[Hari Sud]

Guaranteed that Chinese built stuff will be scrap heap after a few years of operation.

 

[NSR]

As I wrote many times, MoD to fund all public and private companies developing and producing all kinds of Howitzers and operate them in real environments, and then with lessons learned, improve them in block upgrades.
Say no more to all kinds of complicated tests over years and years as we need them now.

Eventually some of them will get perfected and become mainstay forever.

Do not restrain the developments at all.

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

A few days back, a prolific poster over here, who goes by screen-name Mr. Akshat, mentioned that the reason Indian Army was buying only 100 ATAGS from Bharat Forge was because we can only afford that many. Purchases are made in stages and there are hundred other things which IA is involved with and has to pay for from the budgetary allocation, starting with purchases of bulletproof vests and armoured vehicles, going all the way to high end purchases like T-90 tanks and Apache Helicopters.

I am fully satisfied with that explanation. I think we will continue to lag behind Pakistan because we can only afford few artillery pieces.

 

[beencensured]

A few days back, a prolific poster over here, who goes by screen-name Mr. Akshat, mentioned that the reason Indian Army was buying only 100 ATAGS from Bharat Forge was because we can only afford that many. Purchases are made in stages and there are hundred other things which IA is involved with and has to pay for from the budgetary allocation, starting with purchases of bulletproof vests and armoured vehicles, going all the way to high end purchases like T-90 tanks and Apache Helicopters.

I am fully satisfied with that explanation. I think we will continue to lag behind Pakistan because we can only afford few artillery pieces.

We need desperately white elephants like 26 rafale for six billion, while it would been logical to make tejas naval as stop gap till TeDBF and utilize the six billion to build aircraft carrier/submarines. With Astra 3 in testing the advantage of naval rafale nill, with its 3.5 ton payload capacity of stobar carrier. The same buying rampage when Rudram2 is in high stage of trials. Billions for show, but no quantity to win wars.

 

[BCharlie]

Guaranteed that Chinese built stuff will be scrap heap after a few years of operation.

Sirji, agree very much that all Chinese stuff is all junk, trash & garbage .. we should not be worried against Chinese Military Hardware & Eqp't with Pakistan & with Chinese Armed Forces.... yes, in both cases, as you said, its guaranteed that it will never work ; Yes ?

 

[Puneet]

Kalyani has developed a mounted gun system. I'm sure they can deliver quickly

 

[Sunil Maheshwari]

Everyone needs to understand here that we are not competing with Pakistan, we are dealing with China. India also have to spend billions of dollars on countries like Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Fiji,Mauritius, Nepal and Afghanistan to keep them on our side otherwise China will be taking over them. China game plan.

 

[ANUP]

We should also equipp South East Asia countries with these weapons , choose one nation which is arch enemy of china , supply weapons earn money and also equip them for war as china supplied pakistan for war against India , it will have two advantages one is u will earn dollars and other is u will create unbalance or create arm race and also headache to china

 

[Satya Dev]

IA can mount the ATAGs (off course after their weight is reduced below 15MT) on TATRA trucks for the western front, while Kalyani's MArG-ER 155mmx52cal gun (weight 6.8MT) mounted on AL Stallion truck (weight 7.2MT) can be an ideal MGS for shoot & scoot operations in the mountains.
Why our arty units are not having enough WLRs (Weapons Locating Radars)?
What's the status of testing of MaheshwarastraMK1&2 rockets with 150 & 250-300Km ranges?
What's the latest on Project Kusha with LR/ER/XR-SAMs having interception ranges of 150/250/350kms to bridge the gap between MR-SAM (70-100kms) and S-400 (400kms)?

 

[INDIAN]

Its becoming notoriously pathetic of whole eco system of Indian defense forces ,Indian government regarding procurement of artillery's. Its a shame. We are just going in circle and circles.
Our DRDO kalyani Truck mounted guns are ready , but don't know when they will get inducted. ATGS no induction till now.
Kalynai so many artillery variant's in offer but no orders.
Something rotten with our politico and military systems.

 

[dheerajdelhi .]

Sirji, agree very much that all Chinese stuff is all junk, trash & garbage .. we should not be worried against Chinese Military Hardware & Eqp't with Pakistan & with Chinese Armed Forces.... yes, in both cases, as you said, its guaranteed that it will never work ; Yes ?

Only a fool will think that all Chinese stuff is junk. All western countries understand the progress that Chinese have made in defence and are scared to shift on the prospect of having a direct war with them. Hiding your head like a Osterich in sand, doesn't wean away the threat. Only solution is to accept the reality and prepare for worst, and not hide behind wishful thinking that this won't work and that won't work. History is full of events where our foolish maharajas were wishful in thinking, rather than strategic and we all know how mughals entered and ruined our country.

 

[Sharjeel Shakih]

Everyone needs to understand here that we are not competing with Pakistan, we are dealing with China. India also have to spend billions of dollars on countries like Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Fiji,Mauritius, Nepal and Afghanistan to keep them on our side otherwise China will be taking over them. China game plan.

China already has all neighbors around are in China investment butan already looking forward to resolve broader issue

 

[Alok Gupta]

Army has a lot of baggage in their thinking and planning. They astill ordering towed artillery! They only have one weapon locating radar per regiment! After seeing the Russia-Ukraine war, it is clear that towed artillery is a liability and can be taken out by a $300 drone. IA must order more mobile gun systems. Indian private industry is exporting them toother countries while the IA is lamenting about it not meeting their revised quality requirements. It would seem like they are just laying he ground for 'emergency' import of a foreign gun. The upper hirarchy of general in the procurement section must be retired and younger and more aggressive officers brought in.