In April 2025, Chagwon (South Korea)-based defence manufacturing company Hanwha Aerospace Company Limited has signed USD 253.6 million or 371.4 billion South Korean won (KRW) agreement with Mumbai (Maharashtra)-based Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) to export components of K9 Vajra-T, a 155 millimeter (mm), 52-caliber tracked self-propelled howitzers to the Indian Army (IA).
- The agreement was signed at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in New Delhi, Delhi, marking a major milestone in the defense partnership between South Korea.
- As per the agreement, the company will supply 100 K9 Vajra-T Howtizers to IA by September 2030.
Key Points:
i.This latest agreement follows the successful delivery of the 1st batch of 100 units ordered in 2017 under procurement agreement valued at USD 310 million.
- Of these 100 units, 10 were developed in South Korea and remaining 90 were assembled in India by L&T.
ii.These K9 Vajra-T howtizers will be manufactured in cooperation with Hanwha Aerospace at L&T’s Armoured Systems Complex (ASC) located at Hazria near Surat, Gujarat.
iii.The agreement aims to raise the localization level from over 50% in the 1st batch to an expected 60% in the second batch.
About K9 Vajra-T Howtizer:
i.It is an Indian-specific variant of the South Korean K9 Thunder. In 2015, Ministry of Defence (MoD), India selected this howitzer, after it has out-performed the Russian 2S19 Msta-S in the field trials.
ii.The K9 Vajra-T is a self-propelled howitzer equipped with a 155 millimeter(mm)/52-caliber main gun, capable of firing high-explosive, smoke, and guided projectiles.
iii.It can achieve a burst rate of 3 rounds in 15 seconds and maximum rate of fire of 6 to 8 rounds per minute for 3 minutes (min).
iv.It is powered by an Motoren- und Turbinen-Union(MTU) MT 881 Ka-500 diesel engine, which has capacity of producing 1,000 Horse Power (HP), with speed up to 67 kilometer per hour (km/hr) and an operational range of 360 km.
About Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T):
It was initially founded by Holck-Larsen in partnership with Toubro in 1938.
- Later, it was converted into Limited company on February 7, 1946.
Chairman & Managing Director (CMD)- Sekharipuram Narayanan (S.N.) Subrahmanyan
Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra
About Hanwha Aerospace Company Limited:
Chairman- Seung Youn Kim
Headquarters- Changwon, South Korea
Founded- 1977
