India's indigenous 155mm/45-calibre towed howitzer developed by upgrading and modernising the Swedish Bofors FH77B gun (the famous "Bofors gun" that equipped the Indian Army from the 1980s). The Dhanush (Sanskrit for "Bow") features an extended barrel (45 calibres vs 39), improved gun carriage, inertial navigation with GPS for automated gun laying reducing deployment time, onboard ballistic computer, all-electric drive system for traversing and elevation, and indigenous fire control system. Range of 38 km with base bleed ammunition. The Dhanush can fire all NATO-standard 155mm ammunition plus Indian-developed projectiles. Weight of 15 tonnes in firing position with road towing by 8-ton trucks. The system represents India's effort to indigenously produce the artillery that the Army relied on for decades. 114 Dhanush guns ordered with deliveries from 2019, equipping multiple field artillery regiments. Further orders planned as the Indian Army rebuilds its artillery capability.
![Ordnance Factory Board logo](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="200" height="60" viewBox="0 0 200 60"><rect width="200" height="60" fill="%23111"/><text x="100" y="38" font-family="Arial" font-weight="bold" font-size="16" fill="%23c8a84b" text-anchor="middle">OFB INDIA</text></svg>)
- First indigenous 155mm howitzer inducted into Indian Army
- Based on proven Bofors FH-77B technology with Indian engineering improvements
- Sovereign manufacturing — sanctions-proof supply chain
- Good range performance (38 km) competitive in towed howitzer class
- Based on 1980s Bofors design — not a clean-sheet modern system
- Heavier than M777 (14t vs 4.2t) — limits air portability to mountain positions
- Lower rate of fire than modern self-propelled systems
- Production capacity constrained by OFB manufacturing limitations
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