The ATAGS project was started in 2013 by the
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to replace older guns in service in the
Indian Army with a modern 155mm artillery gun. DRDO laboratory
Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) partnered with private players
Bharat Forge, Mahindra Defence Naval System,
Tata Power SED and public sector unit
Advanced Weapons and Equipment India for this purpose. With ARDE as the nodal laboratory, development is being assisted by
Instruments Research and Development Establishment (IRDE),
Vehicle Research and Development Establishment (VRDE),
Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE),
Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR), and
Defence Electronics Applications Laboratory (DEAL). It was part of the Development cum Production Partner programme (DCPP) of DRDO. The development of the gun took about 4 years and is expected to be complete by March 2017. The delay in completion of the project was attributed to realization of ordnance and recoil system and supply issue with manufacturing of sub-systems. The gun is expected to start user trials in 2017 and production is expected to start in 2019. It was first publicly showcased at 68th
Republic Day parade on 26 January 2017. Both the prototypes of TASL and KSSL was part of the parade. For the first time, an indigenously developed howitzer gun, the ATAGS was included in the 21-gun salute alongside
the British origin 25-pounder as part of the
76th Independence day celebrations. Two howitzer were included in the battery that fired the 21 gun salute. ATAGS is being fast-tracked by Indian Army for induction as of 27 September 2022.
Trials The ATAGS has undergone several trials since 2016. •
14 July 2016: DRDO conducted the proof firing of armament for the 155/52 calibre advanced towed artillery gun system. The test was successful. The prototypes P1 and P2 of KSSL and TASL was tested in
Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE),
Balasore. The two prototypes were followed by P3 and P4 after clearance. •
14 December 2016: A fully integrated,155-millimeter artillery gun fired its first rounds of live ammunition at the Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE) in Balasore,
Odisha. •
24 August – 7 September 2017: ATAGS underwent summer/desert trials in
Pokhran Field Firing Range (PFFR). During the trials, it broke the then world record for 155 mm/52 calibre gun by firing the round to a distance of 47.2 kilometres. It again registered a maximum distance of 48.074 kilometres with high explosive–base bleed (HE–BB) ammunition, surpassing the maximum ranges fired by any artillery gun system in this category. •
September 2020: The user trials of the gun was underway in Pokhran Field Firing Range (PFFR) when one of the gun suffered a major setback with a barrel burst injuring four personnel. Investigations are on to ascertain and solve the problem. During the 2020 trial, the KSSL variant ATAGS fired 130+ rounds successfully and TASL-variant ATAGS fired 99 rounds successfully. It was during the firing of the 100th round (5th round of burst firing) of the TASL gun in which the accident occurred. In November 2020, after an investigation the gun was cleared for further trials. Mobility of the gun was a major aspect in the trials. During the trials, the KSSL ATAGS was moved to the northernmost operational point of North Sikkim at Lukrep up to an altiude of . The gun covered a distance of in around 10 days negotiating terrains with steep gradient and
hairpin bends with ease without needing to unhook the gun from the tower. Mobility of the gun was tested for a distance of . Bharat Forge and Tata guns had the same performance factors. Further desert trials were expected in June. •
26 April – 2 May 2022: The ATAGS successfully completed a week-long validation trials in Pokhran Field Firing Range (PFFR), paving way for induction into Army. •
Mid-2024: Armenia conducted several successful tests of the 6 units of ATAGS that have been delivered at various locations.
Production Armenian Ground Forces ordered 6 ATAGS from
Kalyani Strategic Systems (KSSL) by August 2023. The guns were manufactured in KSSL's facility in
Pune. They were delivered to Armenia by the end of 2023. As of October 2024, they intend to purchase additional 84 units after successful trials at different locations. Post completion of trials of ATAGS in 2022, reports suggested that an initial order, split between TASL and Bharat Forge, for 150 guns would be placed at a cost of after releasing an
RFP. The order will be split at a ratio of 60:40 ratio.
Kalyani Strategic Systems (KSSL) has emerged to be the lowest bidder followed by
Tata Advanced Systems (TASL). However, TASL needs to meet the price bid of KSSL to receive the 40% order share. It was reported on 19 November 2024, Bharat Forge, the parent company of KSSL, is participating in price negotiations with the Ministry of Defence for the ATAGS contract. The deal, worth , was to be signed by 31 March 2025. On 20 March 2025, it was reported that the
Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has cleared the procurement of 307 ATAGS and 327
6×6 gun towing vehicles to arm 15 artillery regiments at an estimated cost of around . The contract is expected to be signed next week. Following this, further orders could be placed later under the
Field Artillery Rationalisation Plan. It was also reported that KSSL will manufacture 60% of the ATAGS order due to being the lowest bidder and TASL will manufacture the remaining 40%. As of July 2025, the first gun system was ready for its product model test while the first regiment of ATAGS is to be raised by February 2027. == Design ==