Key Facts and Data Points

  • Exercise Name: Vajra Ghaat
  • Location: Pokhran Field Firing Range, Jaisalmer (Thar Desert)
  • Date: 17 February 2026
  • Primary Asset: K9 Vajra self‑propelled howitzer (tracked)
  • Division Leading the Exercise: White Tiger Division
  • Objective: Validate refined Tactics, Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) for desert warfare and improve battlefield survivability.
  • Outcome Expected: Strengthened combat posture of the Indian Army in the western sector.
  • Procurement Category: Buy Global under the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP).
  • Technical Highlights of K9 Vajra:
  • Derived from South Korea’s K9 Thunder.
  • Long‑range, high‑accuracy fire capability.
  • Compatible with Indian and NATO‑standard ammunition.
  • Protected by all‑welded steel armour.

Background and Context

  • The K9 Vajra is part of India’s effort to modernise its artillery fleet, replacing ageing towed guns with mobile, protected self‑propelled systems.
  • The Buy Global route allows procurement of proven foreign platforms, with technology transfer and offset obligations, aligning with the Make in India vision.
  • The western sector, especially the Thar Desert, presents unique operational challenges—extreme temperatures, sandy terrain, and limited cover—necessitating specialised artillery tactics.

Significance for India / Governance / Policy

  • Strategic Deterrence: Deploying high‑precision, long‑range artillery enhances deterrence against Pakistan, the primary adversary along the western frontier.
  • Operational Readiness: Validating desert‑specific TTPs ensures rapid mobilisation and survivability of heavy assets in austere environments.
  • Defence Procurement Policy: The exercise showcases the effectiveness of the Buy Global category, encouraging future acquisitions that blend foreign technology with domestic production.
  • Indigenous Capability Building: While the platform is imported, the associated technology transfer and local assembly bolster India’s defence industrial base.

Related Constitutional / Legal Provisions

  • Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2020 – outlines categories like Buy Indian, Buy Global, and Strategic Partnership for acquisition of defence equipment.
  • Article 53 of the Constitution empowers the Union to raise and maintain armed forces, providing the legal basis for such modernisation initiatives.

References