In a significant development for the defense industry, Kalyani Strategic Systems Ltd (KSSL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Bharat Forge Limited, has signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with AM General for the supply of advanced cannons to the United States. This agreement marks a major step in India-U.S. defense collaboration, strengthening KSSL’s position as a global exporter of indigenous artillery systems, munitions, and mobility solutions.
KSSL has established itself as a key player in India’s defense sector, leveraging a strong research and development focus to create cutting-edge weapon platforms and off-road protected mobility solutions. The company has successfully designed, developed, and exported military products to international markets, reinforcing India’s emergence as a trusted defense manufacturing hub.
Speaking at IDEX in Abu Dhabi, Baba Kalyani, Chairman & Managing Director of Bharat Forge Ltd., emphasized the significance of this partnership, stating, “Supplying made-in-India critical defense systems to the United States is pathbreaking! We at KSSL are proud to be the first Indian company to supply cannons to the U.S. This agreement underscores the trust and confidence global defense leaders, such as AM General, place in our capabilities.”
AM General, a global leader in military vehicle platforms, has been exploring next-generation artillery solutions and sees tremendous potential in this partnership. John Chadbourne, Executive Vice President of AM General, highlighted that this Letter of Intent with KSSL marks an important step toward delivering Advanced Mobile Artillery Capabilities to the U.S. defense forces.
This initiative follows the India-U.S. bilateral defense meeting, reaffirming the growing strategic partnership between the two nations. It highlights India’s expanding defense manufacturing footprint and its emergence as a trusted supplier of advanced weaponry to global markets. The collaboration between KSSL and AM General showcases India’s ability to develop and export sophisticated artillery systems, further strengthening defense industrial cooperation on an international scale.
Bharat Forge Limited (BFL), the parent company of KSSL, is a technology-driven multinational specializing in high-performance, safety-critical components and solutions across multiple industries, including defense, aerospace, automotive, power, oil & gas, construction, and marine. With a global footprint spanning five countries, BFL boasts the largest repository of metallurgical expertise and a full-service supply chain, offering end-to-end solutions from concept to product design, engineering, manufacturing, testing, and validation.
AM General, a leading manufacturer of specialized military and commercial vehicles, is renowned for its iconic HUMVEE series, Joint Light Tactical Vehicle A2 (JLTV A2), and next-generation HUMVEE Saber light tactical truck. The company is at the forefront of soft recoil technology, designed to enhance mobile artillery platforms with superior protection and agility.
Mandus Group LLC, a key collaborator in this partnership, is an industry leader in artillery solutions, logistics, support, and repair. The company holds the intellectual property for advanced recoil technology and is a leading developer of Soft Recoil-Based mobile weapon platforms, providing innovative solutions for enhanced mobility and precision in modern warfare. This agreement between KSSL and AM General underscores the growing strategic defense cooperation between India and the United States, reinforcing India’s capabilities in advanced artillery manufacturing while contributing to global defense modernization efforts.
