The The Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System is an indigenous 155 mm x 52 calibre howitzer gun developed by the DRDO. Howitzers is an umbrella term for a category of long-range artillery guns.
The ATAGS project was started in 2013 by DRDO to replace older guns in service in the Indian Army with a modern 155 mm artillery gun. The ATAGS was used alongside the traditional British-origin ’25 Pounders’ artillery guns.
An indigenously developed howitzer gun, ATAG became part of the 21-gun salute to the tricolour during the Independence Day ceremony for first time in 75 years since Independence.
India inherited this tradition from the British rulers who had gun salutes comprising 101, 31 and 21 volleys, and so on depending on the hierarchy. In India, artillery gun salutes are fired on the Republic Day, the Independence Day and also at the time of oath taking ceremony of the President, among other occasions.