India, Feb. 22 -- The 155 mm artillery shell may look like just a large piece of metal, but in modern warfare, it is one of the most important tools an army has. Imagine a giant bullet, roughly 45 kilograms in weight, about two feet long and six inches wide. That is a 155 mm shell. It is fired from heavy guns called howitzers and can strike targets 30 to 40 kilometres away. The soldiers firing it often never see the enemy directly. Yet this single round can destroy bunkers, vehicles, or defensive positions with enormous explosive force.

More than 75 armies across the world use 155 mm-compatible systems, including the US Army's M777, India's Dhanush and K9 Vajra-T, and nearly every NATO country, and it has become the global standard for ...