Larsen & Toubro secures major defence contract for K9 Vajra-T artillery systems

The K9 Vajra-T is a 155 mm, 52-calibre tracked artillery system based on the globally acclaimed South Korean K9 Thunder. Co-developed by L&T in collaboration with Hanwha Aerospace, the system is tailored to meet the Indian Army’s diverse operational needs, ranging from desert and plain terrains to challenging high-altitude regions.

This latest order follows the success of an earlier contract awarded to L&T in 2017 for the production of 100 K9 Vajra-T platforms. Delivered ahead of schedule, the first batch demonstrated L&T’s ability to design, develop, and manufacture complex defence systems. These platforms have been praised for their exceptional performance since their induction into the Indian Army.

Speaking on the development, Mr Arun Ramchandani, Senior Vice President and Head of L&T Precision Engineering & Systems, said, “Like the first batch, the second batch of the K9 Vajra-T too will be manufactured at our Armoured Systems Complex at Hazira in Gujarat. The state-of-the-art manufacturing facility was dedicated to the nation by Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in January 2019 and it has since been playing a key role in developing and building armoured and artillery platforms in an integrated industrial ecosystem comprising of several MSME partners.”

Mr Ramchandani also highlighted L&T’s commitment to India’s self-reliance initiative, stating, “We are focussed on helping build an Aatmanirbhar Bharat and making India’s defence forces self-reliant with indigenously manufactured equipment.”

The company emphasised that it does not engage in the production of explosives, cluster munitions, anti-personnel landmines, or nuclear weapons, nor does it customise delivery systems for such munitions. This ethical stance aligns with L&T’s broader commitment to sustainable and responsible defence manufacturing.