Setting in motion the delayed Rs 10,000 crore artillery modernisation programme, the Army on Monday invited proposals for procurement of 140 ultra-light Howitzer guns.

This was announced by Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor during an interaction with the media on the eve of the 60^th Army Day.

"As I am interacting with you right now, the RFP (Request for proposal) for procurement of the Ultra-Light Howitzer guns has been issued," Gen Kapoor said, while admitting delays in the modernisation of the artillery programme.

There has been no fresh induction of artillery guns since the infamous Rs 1,437-crore Bofors deal, under which 410 155mm 39-calibre field Howitzers were bought in 1986.

Now taking the issue at a war footing, the Army plans to issue fresh global tenders for procurement of the 155mm 52-calibre guns 'shortly' and for 155 advanced gun in 'a month or so,' the army chief said.

Armies in some of the developed countries have been giving preference to the ultra-light Howitzers since it can be transported to battle-zone by air, much faster than the conventional heavy artillery guns.

In 2001, India floated a global tender for acquisition of 400 towed 155mm 52-calibre artillery guns, valued upwards of $1.5 billion. This process was to be followed by licensed production in India.

But earlier this year, it was scrapped after an unprecedented four rounds of trials -- 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006 -- during which the Bofors gun (now owned by BAe Systems) performed better than the guns of Israeli firm Soltam and the now-blacklisted South African Denel company.

While the arms market was full of speculation that the UPA government developed cold feet due to the Bofors name associated with the BAe Systems, the Army maintained that none of the guns could meet all the laid-down general staff qualitative requirements.

To a question as to whether the Army had accepted or rejected the anti-aircraft Akash Missile, Gen Kapoor said the army has not attended any trial of the missile system so far.

"We have certain requirements and aspects. We would like them to be met before we take any decision," the Army Chief said.

Referring to land attack super-sonic cruise missile BrahMos, multi-barrel rocket system Pinaka and Russian-made Smerch's induction into the army, Gen Kapoor said that everything was going as per schedule.
 
"As far as Smerch was concerned, some of the system had been inducted from Russia [Images] while other was in the pipeline and would be coming soon," he said.

To a question about the T-90 tanks, Gen Kapoor said the government had in principle agreed for induction of 347 more such tanks in the Army and the process would be completed soon.

When asked about the delay in Transfer of Technology from Russia on T-90 tanks which was pushing the deadline of its indigenous production, Gen Kapoor said ToT is a 'complex process.'

Sometimes, the transferor of technology is not able to put it clearly and sometimes the receiver of technology does not understand it properly.

"The process of ToT has been delayed but it will happen and will be completed," Gen Kapoor added.