Hanwha to supply more K9 howitzers to India in W370b deal
Deal looks to increase India's local production of Korean-designed artillery weapons system to 60%
Hanwha Aerospace Co. has secured a 370 billion won ($253 million) contract to deliver 100 additional units of the K9 self-propelled howitzer to India, the Korean defense firm said Thursday.
According to Hanwha, the company will supply components for the K9 howitzer to Larsen & Toubro, an Indian multinational industrial and manufacturing conglomerate, to produce the locally modified version of the land weapons system named the K9 Vajra-T self-propelled howitzer.
The arms deal followed the successful delivery of an initial 100 units ordered in 2017, with delivery completed in 2020.
Under a licensing agreement then, Larsen & Toubro assembled the final products in India with about 50 percent of the production materials sourced locally. The new contract aims to increase the figure to 60 percent, according to Hanwha Aerospace.
Hanwha Aerospace noted that the K9 Vajra-T has proven its exceptional capabilities across India's challenging terrain with its advanced 155-millimeter, 52-caliber gun system, adding that the artillery weapon can fire accurately at long ranges while maintaining a high rate of fire in both burst and sustained modes.
"This follow-up order reflects the deepening defense partnership between Korea and India," said Son Jae-il, CEO of Hanwha Aerospace.
"We will continue to be a trusted, reliable partner for India's defense capabilities in the years ahead, supporting India's vision for defense manufacturing self-reliance."
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