NEW DELHI, September 28, 2026 — Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (AVNL), through its Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF) in Avadi, has issued Expressions of Interest (EOIs) for the design, development and supply of key components for an electromagnetic launcher system.
According to reports citing ANI, the first EOI seeks an industrial partner for an electromagnetic launch barrel assembly and its electrical accessories. A second notice issued the following day seeks partners for the design, development and supply of the barrel platform and drives. The exact weapon configuration and performance specifications have not been disclosed.
The move is aimed at involving private industry in taking electromagnetic launcher technology toward industrial-scale manufacturing.
DRDO’s parallel railgun programme
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is separately developing electromagnetic railgun technology through its Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) in Pune.
ARDE has already developed and tested a 10-megajoule railgun powered by a capacitor bank, achieving projectile velocities of more than 2,000 metres per second. At Aero India 2025, DRDO displayed a compact, transportable version designed for trailer mounting and field trials. It includes a modular 10-MJ capacitor bank with 25 modules of 400 kJ each, a lithium-chemistry battery bank, the railgun launcher and a portable diesel generator. Officials indicated that it could support approximately 30 rounds at about three rounds per minute once fully charged.
DRDO has also outlined a 100-megajoule railgun programme. Published material describes a system capable of launching an 18-kg projectile at more than 2,000 metres per second using a 100-MJ capacitor bank. Development pathways have included systems up to the 155-mm class, with potential engagement ranges of approximately 100 to 400 km.
ARDE chief Ankathi Raju has stated that the indigenous electromagnetic railgun under development for the Indian Army would operate at around 11,000 volts and 2.5 mega-amperes. It is designed to accelerate a projectile of around 50 kg to approximately 2,000 metres per second, close to Mach 6, with a projected range of nearly 200 km. Officials have indicated that full development and potential induction could take up to a decade, depending on endurance testing, material improvements and integration work.
Electromagnetic railgun technology
Unlike conventional artillery, a railgun uses electrical energy instead of chemical propellants. A high-current electrical pulse passes through parallel conductive rails and a moving armature, generating Lorentz force that accelerates the projectile.
ARDE's Centre for Electromagnetic Launch Technology (CEMaLT) supports research into railguns, pulsed-power systems, multi-loop augmented rails, materials and related subsystems. Development work includes rail durability, coatings, power systems, mobility and targeting technologies.
The AVNL EOIs focus on industrial partnerships for the barrel, platform, drives and electrical components, while DRDO continues development of the broader railgun technology. Exact timelines for production or induction of any resulting system have not been announced.
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