By NewsGram Staff Writer

After a long wait of almost three decades, the Indian military will soon be receiving its desi version of Bofors – Dhanush.

The 155mm x 45mm calibre artillery gun, Dhanush is the first home-grown version of the Swedish Bofors gun, which was bought in the late 1980s. The towed howitzer is based on the design and manufacturing technology provided by Bofors.

India's Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar, on Monday informed the Members of Parliament of the Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry, that Dhanush incorporates many improved features than the guns which the Army is possessing currently.

Indigenously built by Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), Dhanush has successfully cleared the technical parameters during the winter and summer trials. Its successful winter trials in the mountains of Sikkim were followed by final round of user trials at Khetolai in Pokhran close to the border along Pakistan in Rajasthan's desert.

Dhanush was developed at the Gun Carriage Factory in Jabalpur. With an 155mm barrel that is 6.975 metres long, the howitzer's longer barrel ensures a longer range.

It is said that Dhanush is a major improvement over the Bofors gun's manual system, all thanks to its electronic sighting and laying system for aiming at the target.

Moreover, it is likely to be priced at 14 crore a piece, less than half the price of a similar gun manufactured outside the country.

Parrikar also informed that OFB, one of the oldest and largest production organisations of the Ministry of Defence, has notably achieved success in the indigenous development of 40mm Multi Grenade Launcher (MGL) for 40 x 46mm Low Velocity Grenades (LVG).