‘Made in Nagpur’ ammunition is set to modernize artillery shells after nearly 40 years: Bofors to boom with desi tech

Nearly four decades after India procured the iconic 155mm Bofors howitzers, the country is now on the verge of achieving complete self-reliance in ammunition production for these artillery guns, which played a critical role during the Kargil War. While the guns themselves were domestically manufactured and inducted in 2019, the ammunition continued to be based on a South African design, even though production occurred locally. This is now set to change with the development of fully indigenous 155mm shells designed by the Armaments Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), a part of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

These new shells will be produced by Yantra India Limited (YIL) at its premier facility, the Ordnance Factory Ambajhari in Nagpur. YIL, a public sector enterprise formed in 2021 from the restructuring of the Ordnance Factories, has long been engaged in shell production using transferred technology from Naschem, a South African defense firm. Now, with ARDE’s innovation, YIL is transitioning to a new design that eliminates the need for certain components like stabilizing nubs, enabling the shells to maintain their flight path independently and reach a range of up to 36 kilometers-slightly more than earlier versions.

In a notable shift, private sector involvement is also set to begin with Reliance Infrastructure Ltd, led by Anil Ambani, entering this domain. The company plans to establish a manufacturing unit in Ratnagiri with an investment of Rs 5,000 crore and aims to secure ammunition orders worth Rs 10,000 crore over the next decade. Reliance’s production will be supported by a network of about 10 Indian suppliers, marking the first time a private enterprise is participating in the manufacturing of Bofors-compatible shells.

ARDE has designed four variants of the 155mm shells: high explosive (HE), smoke, illumination, and cargo. While the HE version, the standard combat round, has already undergone successful user trials, the other three are currently undergoing various stages of evaluation. The payload variety releases bomblets upon impact, the illumination variation illuminates target areas at night, and the smoke shell is designed to provide a visual barrier for enemy hiding.

Although YIL will manufacture the empty shell casings, explosive filling duties will be handled by Munitions India Limited, another PSU. This move represents the final step in a journey that began with the 1986 acquisition of Bofors guns and ammunition from Sweden, followed by decades of production based on foreign designs. With these developments, India is now poised to fully indigenize its Bofors ammunition by 2026 as per reports.