Indigenous howitzer to be used for 21-gun salute on Independence Day

For the first time, a home-grown howitzer gun will be used for the ceremonial 21-gun salute during the Independence Day ceremony at Red Fort, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar said on Wednesday.

The ATAGS will give the ceremonial 21-gun salute along with the British guns, which have been traditionally used till now, Kumar said.

The gun has been especially customised, with certain technical specifications being tweaked for the ceremony.

The ministry said a team from DRDO’s Armament Research & Development Establishment, Pune, led by scientists and artillery officers, worked on the project to make use of the gun possible for the Independence Day ceremony.

The defence secretary also said NCC cadets from all districts of the country have been invited to attend the main event at Red Fort.

These cadets will be seated at ‘Gyan Path’ in front of the Red Fort’s ramparts in a geographical formation of the map of India.

In continuation of the initiative taken during Republic Day 2022, the section of society which is usually overlooked has been invited as special guests for Independence Day as well, he said.

Kumar said a total of 26 officers and supervisors and 127 cadets from 14 countries — US, UK, Argentina, Brazil, Fiji, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, The Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Seychelles, the UAE, and Uzbekistan — are already in India for the Independence Day celebrations.