India is set to end its dependence on foreign-designed and developed naval cannons. Indian private sector artillery maker Bharat Forge will proof-test two new naval cannons in 2026. A  76 mm cannon and a 30 mm cannon are under development at the company’s facility in Pune. These are the first indigenously designed, developed and manufactured naval cannons.

Indian Navy and Coast Guard ships currently use imported cannons— the Soviet-designed 30 mm CRN-91 and the AK-630 CIWS, an Italian 76 mm OTO Melara Super Rapid naval cannon and an Israeli 30 mm naval cannon. 

The Close Range Naval-91 (CRN-91) naval gun, which is a navalised version of the Russian BMP-II turret manufactured under license by the earlier Ordinance Factory, now Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVANI).

The CRN-91 Naval gun has a dual feed mechanism that allows it to switch between armour-piercing tracer and high explosive incendiary & fragmentation tracer projectiles that are electrically primed, which means that the primer is activated through an electric current rather than being struck by a firing pin and igniting the propellant.

 A BPK 2-42 electro-optical sight manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) directs the cannon, and the complete unit is gyrostabilized in the pitch and yaw axes. The sight may function both during the day and at night. It can also be operated remotely. CRN 91 gun is a flexible and effective weapon intended for use against armored target and air targets flying at low altitudes. The range is 2 km for Armour-piercing tracer projectile and 4 km for HE projectiles. The Canon can hit slow moving object in the air at a height of 2000 M has a total range of 2500 m.

The Russian AK-630 CIWS (Close in Support Weapon System), a  30mm, six-barrel rotary cannon having a rate of fire of around 3,000-5,000 rounds per minute has been in Indian naval service since the mid-1980s.

 It has an effective engagement range of about 4-6 km. The AK-630 CIWS features an automated, all-weather electro-optical fire control system for rapid detection and engagement. It is licensed and manufactured by Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Ltd. (AWEIL) and Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL). It is used for defence against anti-ship missiles, drones and small aircraft.

GRSE (Garden Reach and Shipbuilders Limited) has designed and developed a 30 mm naval surface gun in collaboration with the BHSEL (Blue Horizons Strategic Engineering Pvt Ltd), Israeli company Elbit Systems. 30 mm naval surface gun, It is integrated with an indigenous Electro Optical Fire Control System (EOFCS) for precision targeting. This gun has a primary role for ship self-defence, targeting small surface vessels, aircraft, and coastal threats. 

BHEL (Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited) 76mm SRGM (Super Rapid Gun Mount), which is the Italian Oto Melara 76mm. The SRGM incorporates the Strales system with integrated director radar and DART (guided projectile) and Vulcano (extended effective range) ammunition. The Vulcano ammunition has a range of 30 km with unguided version and 40 km with guided version. It is in service on at least 50 Indian Navy warships. Its primary role is air defence and anti-surface role, particularly in anti-missile role.

Arjun Dev Singh

Arjun Dev Singh has a deep interest in defence, security, and strategic affairs. With a strong analytical lens and a passion for military and geopolitical developments, Arjun strives to bring clarity and context to complex national and international issues.