With a $253 million deal, South Korea’s Hanwha will provide India with a second set of 100 K9 Vajra-T self-propelled howitzers, greatly enhancing India’s artillery capabilities and strengthening defense relations between the two countries.
With increased local production requirements, the new agreement, which was announced on April 3, 2025, strengthens India’s commitment to defense manufacturing self-reliance and builds on the successful delivery of the first 100-unit order completed in 2021.
An important turning point in the expanding defense cooperation between South Korea and India was reached with the formal signing of the most recent $253 million contract at the South Korean embassy in New Delhi. After a first contract in 2017 that delivered 100 units to the Indian Army ahead of schedule, this agreement is the second major procurement of the K9 Vajra-T platform.
“This follow-up order reflects the deepening defense partnership between Korea and India,” said Jae-il Son, president and CEO of Hanwha, in order to underscore the importance of the order. In the years to come, we will remain a dependable and trustworthy partner for India’s defense capabilities, advancing the country’s goal of self-reliance in defense manufacturing. The procurement strengthens bilateral ties with South Korea, which were upgraded to a “Special Strategic Partnership” in 2015, and is in line with India’s strategic defense modernization priorities.
This new contract’s stronger commitment to domestic manufacturing is one of its noteworthy features. The new agreement seeks to raise the percentage of locally sourced materials and parts used in the first batch of K9 Vajra-T howitzers to 60%. This improvement is a result of India’s ongoing efforts to increase its defense production independence through the “Make-in-India” and “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” programs.
The production will be carried out at the state-of-the-art Larsen & Toubro Armoured Systems Complex in Hazira, Gujarat, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened in January 2019. India’s ability to manufacture cutting-edge armored and artillery platforms has greatly benefited from this facility. The complex supports a strong domestic defense manufacturing base by operating within an integrated industrial ecosystem with many MSME partners.
L&T’s ability to deliver complex defense systems was proven in the first production run; the first batch was finished ahead of schedule and has been operating remarkably well since induction. In order to produce these advanced platforms, more than 13,000 different types of components for each gun system must be manufactured locally through a supply chain that includes about 1,000 industrial partners, 150 of whom are based in Gujarat.
A 155 mm, 52-calibre tracked self-propelled artillery platform, the K9 Vajra-T was specially modified from the South Korean K9 Thunder to satisfy the Indian Army’s operational needs in a variety of environments, including plains, deserts, and high altitudes. The platform’s adaptability and efficiency in India’s diverse geographic setting are improved by this customization.
With its remarkable firepower and ability to strike targets over a distance of 25 kilometers, the howitzer system greatly bolsters India’s armed forces’ artillery component. It is a flexible asset for the Indian Army’s operational requirements because of its cross-country mobility, which permits accurate, deep strikes across difficult terrains.
Following rigorous field evaluations, the platform outperformed competitors and became the preferred option for India. The K9 Vajra-T was chosen in 2015 over Russia’s 2S19 MSTA howitzer after extensive army testing in 2013 and 2014. The system’s exceptional performance and fit for India’s unique defense needs were confirmed by this selection process.
The K9 is propelled by a fully automatic Allison transmission of US origin and a German water-cooled diesel engine with 1,000 horsepower, the MTU MT 881 Ka-500 V8.
More than just an increase in India’s artillery capabilities is represented by the acquisition of more K9 Vajra-T howitzers. It signifies a strengthening strategic alliance between South Korea and India in the field of defense. In recent years, the two countries’ defense cooperation “has expanded significantly, encompassing various domains including land systems, aerospace, and maritime technologies,” Hanwha said.
This partnership goes beyond the acquisition of artillery. Hanwha has stated that it is committed to “expanding its partnership with India beyond the K9 Vajra program,” which may include advanced military technologies such as air defense systems. The Hanwha product Hybrid BiHo, which is allegedly still being assessed by India’s acquisition system, is one such system that is being considered.
India’s strategic goal of increasing its defense manufacturing self-reliance is perfectly aligned with the project. “We are focused on helping build an Aatmanirbhar Bharat and making India’s defense forces self-reliant with indigenously manufactured equipment,” said Arun Ramchandani, Senior VP and Head of L&T Precision Engineering & Systems.
The development of advanced technological capabilities within India’s defense industrial base is part of this emphasis on self-reliance, in addition to assembly. This project’s knowledge transfer and skill development greatly aid in the development of domestic manufacturing expertise for complex defense systems.
In the upcoming years, Hanwha has pledged to uphold and deepen its partnership with India. Opportunities for future cooperation seem bright given the first batch’s successful implementation and the start of the second. Growing confidence in India’s domestic manufacturing capabilities is also indicated by the rising indigenization percentage.
With over 0.9 million man-days of employment anticipated over four years, the project is anticipated to generate a substantial number of job opportunities. This economic component gives the procurement an additional layer of strategic value by coordinating industrial growth, job creation, and defense modernization.
The recent agreement to purchase 100 more K9 Vajra-T self-propelled howitzers shows the strength of the defense cooperation between South Korea and India and significantly improves India’s artillery capabilities. The procurement is in line with India’s goal of increasing its defense production self-reliance by requiring more local manufacturing.
When this platform is added to India’s current arsenal, it will help create a more resilient and adaptable artillery force that can function well in the country’s varied topography. An example of the kind of international defense partnership that blends technology transfer with the development of domestic manufacturing capabilities is the ongoing partnership between Hanwha and Larsen & Toubro, which could serve as a template for future defense acquisitions.
This purchase represents not only a business deal but also the development of a strategic partnership between India and South Korea spanning several defense technologies and domains. The howitzers will probably be crucial to India’s larger defense modernization initiatives and regional strategic posture as the partnership and the howitzers grow.
