Tirupati Forge has received an industrial licence under the Indian Arms Act, 1959, to manufacture empty artillery shell bodies, marking the company’s formal entry into the defence ammunition manufacturing segment. The Gujarat-based precision engineering and forging company plans to begin pilot production in December 2026, adding a new defence manufacturing capability to its existing industrial operations.
The licence covers artillery shell calibres ranging from 105mm to 155mm, including 105mm, 120mm, 122mm, 125mm, 130mm, 152mm and 155mm variants. Within the 155mm category, the approved range includes HE M107, HE L15A1, Extended Range Full Bore (ERFB), ERFB Base Bleed and ERFB Boat Tail configurations.
Tirupati Forge is initially focused on manufacturing empty shell bodies rather than complete artillery ammunition. These components form an important part of the ammunition production chain and require controlled forging, machining, material quality and inspection processes before they can move to subsequent stages of ammunition production.
The company has stated an initial production capability of around 150,000 shell bodies annually. Pilot manufacturing is expected to begin in December 2026, after which the company intends to move towards commercial-scale production subject to the required trials, qualifications and approvals.
The new licence expands Tirupati Forge’s activities beyond its established forging and precision-engineering businesses into a specialised area of defence manufacturing. Its existing manufacturing expertise in metalworking and precision engineering provides an industrial base for developing the new ammunition-related production capability.
The development also comes as India continues to expand domestic defence manufacturing and encourage greater participation from private-sector companies. Increasing indigenous production capacity is intended to strengthen domestic defence supply chains and reduce dependence on overseas sources for critical military equipment and ammunition-related requirements.
The 155mm segment is particularly significant because such artillery ammunition is widely used by modern artillery forces. By obtaining regulatory approval across multiple calibres, Tirupati Forge has the scope to pursue different requirements within the artillery ammunition supply chain as its manufacturing programme develops.
The company’s immediate focus will now be on pilot production and establishing consistent manufacturing processes for the approved shell-body variants. Commercial production will depend on successful trials, product qualification, customer requirements and the necessary procurement processes.
Tirupati Forge’s entry into artillery shell manufacturing adds another private-sector capability to India’s growing defence industrial base. The planned December pilot production will provide an important next step in determining how the company converts its existing engineering and forging capabilities into a dedicated defence ammunition manufacturing operation.