An emergency order for new rocket systems comes as the Army presses ahead with a wider overhaul of its artillery arm. Together the moves point to a shift towards precision long range strike and integrated formations that are redefining how India plans to fight on land.
In a major boost to India’s deep-strike and precision warfare capabilities, the Indian Army has placed a ₹292 crore emergency procurement order with indigenous defence manufacturer NIBE Limited for ground equipment, accessories and ammunition for its universal rocket launcher systems, even as the Army completes a sweeping transformation of its artillery arm into integrated strike formations.
Together, the twin developments underline a decisive shift in India’s land warfare doctrine: from gun-centric firepower to technology-driven, multi-domain strike capability.
What was the contract with NIBE for?
NIBE Limited informed stock exchanges that it has signed a supply contract with the Ministry of Defence for manufacturing and delivering equipment for Universal Rocket Launcher Systems capable of firing multiple rocket types, including long-range munitions with strike ranges of up to 150 km and 300 km.
According to Army sources, the systems relate to the Israeli-origin PULS (Precise & Universal Launching System), with procurement being executed under the Emergency Procurement (EP) route. Deliveries will be completed in tranches within 12 months.
What is the EP mechanism for procurement?
The EP mechanism, introduced after the 2020 standoff with the Chinese PLA in eastern Ladakh, allows fast-tracked acquisitions to meet urgent operational requirements.
Under current rules, Vice Chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force can clear emergency capital procurements of up to ₹300 crore, enabling the services to rapidly plug critical capability gaps during heightened security situations.
How does the PULS strengthen Army’s rocket forces?
The PULS-linked order is part of the Army’s long-term plan to significantly strengthen its rocket forces. In June 2025, reports confirmed the raising of two additional regiments of the indigenous Pinaka Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) system.
In artillery parlance, a regiment consists of three batteries, each operating six launchers, making rocket artillery a central pillar of India’s long-range strike posture.
These rocket units fall under the Regiment of Artillery, raised in 1827 and popularly known as the “God of War,” the Army’s second-largest combat arm after infantry. Traditionally focused on massed gunfire, artillery is now undergoing its most far-reaching reorganisation in a century.
How is the Army raising specialised artillery regiments?
Months after announcing post-Operation Sindoor restructuring, the Ministry of Defence has begun equipping specialised artillery formations, known as Shaktibaan regiments, with loitering ammunition and swarm drones.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) recently cleared procurement of loitering munitions for these units, which will be forward-deployed along the western front with Pakistan and the northern border with China. The Army plans to raise 25 such regiments.
What are the Shaktibaan regiments?
Unlike conventional artillery, Shaktibaan regiments will not rely on guns. Instead, they will operate loitering ammunition, both long- and medium-range, and swarm drones as primary means of attack, enabling rapid detection, decision-making, and engagement of targets.
Indigenous systems such as the Nagastra loitering munition are already available, while multiple drone swarms have been tested across varied altitudes.
What is the Divyaastra batteries concept?
Complementing Shaktibaan is the Divyaastra concept, created after Operation Sindoor (May 7–10, 2025). Five Divyaastra batteries have already been raised and validated during Exercise Divya Drishti in East Sikkim.
These units blend long-range artillery guns, UAV-based surveillance, counter-drone systems, and AI-enabled fusion centres into a single, self-contained strike package.
What are Divyaastra batteries capabilities?
Divyaastra batteries can conduct deep-precision strikes, real-time surveillance, and independent operations. When reconnaissance drones detect enemy positions, data flows instantly into AI-enabled fusion centres, which recommend optimal engagement options — whether gunfire, loitering missile, or drone strike.
Integrated electronic warfare, laser-based kinetic kill systems, and the Akashteer Integrated Command and Control System provide layered air defence against hostile UAVs.
How do these rework the Indian Army’s artillery?
This evolution marks a fundamental reconceptualisation of Indian artillery. From 260 largely standardised gun formations, the arm is transitioning into agile, tech-heavy strike formations that integrate conventional firepower with unmanned systems and artificial intelligence.
A 2022 study on reorganisation and rightsizing of the Army had flagged the need for such changes, while ARTRAC has begun reorienting training and education across gunner schools and regimental centres.
Together, the emergency induction of PULS rocket systems and the rise of Shaktibaan and Divyaastra signal a new era, one where India’s artillery is no longer just supporting arms, but a decisive, autonomous strike force shaping the battlefield of the future.
Credits: RNAMEDIA.IN
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News21 hours ago
