India clears purchase of 145 M777 howitzers worth Rs 4500 crore from US

Delhi: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Thursday cleared the proposals for acquiring 145 M777 155 mm ultra-light howitzers from the US, as per a media report.

DAC is headed by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

As per India Today, this is the first time that guns are being purchased for the Army since Bofors in 1987.

The light howitzers can be flown to the mountain areas.

The report said that it will be deployed along the mountainous lines bordering both Pakistan and China.

155 mm M777 guns will be purchased reportedly at a cost of about Rs 4500 crore.

The Army has not procured a single howitzer ever since the Bofors guns.

Meanwhile, Parrikar today asserted that the recently-signed Euro 7.878 billion-deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets was the best ever offered to any country.

 "Rafale is the best deal that we have managed. It was because Prime Minister of India and President of France agreed that we have this deal which has not been offered to any other country," Parrikar said.

(With PTI inputs)